Description
This section addresses accessibility for people with disabilities, specifically people who may be deaf or hard of hearing, when an office needs to utilize a Public Information Officer. PIOs are typically used in emergency-related situations. (Based on the responses for this section, many survey respondents were either unclear on the use of the term “PIO”, or it did not apply to their unit’s standard operations).
Recommendations
- Create a protocol that for all instances where your office utilizes a Public Information Officer to communicate with the press, captioning will be provided, and that an American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter will be visible and within the screen shot when television cameras - or any other type of camera for live-broadcast media - are in use.
- Document Resources: Tips for Public Information Officers(link is external)
2. Ensure any videos your office plays for the public are consistently captioned and, ideally, audio-described.
- On this DAC webpage you can request support with providing communication access
- Video Resource: Effective Communications video, episode 3.
3. Procure or borrow Assistive Listening Devices (ALDs) to make available in case a Hard of Hearing person attends an in person Public Information event.
- You can borrow ALDs from our DAC Lending Library of Assistive Software & Equipment