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From: Jack.O'keeffe@f26.n129.z1.fidonet.org (Jack O'keeffe)
Newsgroups: misc.handicap
Subject: Re: Travelin'
Message-ID: <17225@bunker.UUCP>
Date: 25 Jan 91 17:23:10 GMT
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[This is from the Silent Talk Conference]

 AS> One of my aunt's employee's told a horror story about when she was
 AS> was trapped in one of the elevators last summer

 AS> I really think it should be a requirement to have visual lights
 AS> for those of us who do not hear the announcers that some have
 AS> as well as some way we can contact the building maintenance
 AS> folks when we are trapped.

Hi Annie, The draft ANSI A-117 standard contains a statement under
Sec. 4.10.1.14 Emergency Communications.  . . . "The car emergency
signalling device shall not be limited to voice communication." . .

In practice, that could mean anything, or nothing.  But the most
important thing is for hearing impaired people to get off their
duffs and make the world aware of what we need.  The ANSI A-117
committee meetings are open to the public, and the public usually
is allowed to speak.  There were several blind people at the meetings
I attended, and quite a few in wheelchairs, but I was the only one
there who was hearing impaired.  A. G. Bell Association is an ANSI
member organization with voting priviledges, but they did not
bother to send a representative.

I know that everyone can't attend all the meetings, but I sure did
feel lonesome.  Remember, the great majority of the people who do
participate in the regulation writing process represent the facility
owners who will have to spend money to implement the standard.  They
are more concerned about costs than accessibility.  All the more
reason for us to speak out during the public comment period.

And I don't mean just negative comments either.  The standard has
a very good proposal for visual alarms, but the representative of
the theater owners association was strongly opposed to this in
committee.  It was passed only after a big hassle.  So it will be
equally important to make positive comments on the (few) parts of
the standard that we like.

As a group, hearing impaired people have been real wimps (compared
to people with other disabilities) when advocating our needs.  It
may be because, in Rocky's words, it is "An Invisible Condition"
and many of us would like to keep it that way.  But it's always
better to light one candle than to curse the darkness.

Remember, public comment period beging February 22, and extends for
60 days.

... lllegitimii non Carborundum!

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