Disability Awareness Training (DAT) is nationally recognized as the nation’s leader in First Responder Disability Awareness Training. It is widely recognized that everyone needs disability awareness training, and this could not be more prolific than in first response where confusion and uncertainty cannot exist. DAT takes this seriously, knowing that professionals require and desire discipline-specific curriculum. DAT has tailored presentations for 911 telecommunicators, law enforcement, and firefighters and EMS personnel.
Our programs address the most prominent disabilities, customized for each discipline, and brings together education on disabilities while enhancing sensitivity. The presentations include definitions, etiquette and interaction skills, the disabled perspective, challenging behaviors, and current trends and topics, all relevant to first responders. DAT has created these programs with direct input from first responders and the state offices and associations that represent them, and all disability content is created with persons with disabilities who are subject matter experts in the field.
TRAINING OPTIONS (available virtually or in-person): full day in-service, half day in-service, two day Train-the-Trainer.
911 Telecommunicators
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- Recognition and identification of speech disabilities
- Supports and resources that assist in telecommunication
- Understanding the presentation of disabilities
- Interface and accurate dispatch of first responders
- The Americans with Disabilities Act and its role in telecommunication
- Disabilities defined specific to 9-1-1 telecommunicators
- Speech impairments and challenges
- Service provision and supports
- Challenging behaviors and responsiveness
- Municipality role and responsibility
- Progressive approaches to addressing emergency situations
- Proper etiquette and interaction skills
- 711 Relay and the varying ways to telecommunicate
- Interface with law enforcement, firefighters, and EMS personnel
- Assistive Technology/Adaptive Equipment
- General effective communication
- Hearing Carry-Over and Speech-to-Speech
- The Americans with Disabilities Act
- Department infrastructure
- Disabilities they will encounter and how to appropriately interact
- Will be able to better understand the challenges they face and how to address them effectively
- The ability to understand characteristics of individuals across all disability spectrums, especially as they relate to communication
- Videos and audio presentations of individuals with disabilities with an emphasis on speech challenges, will allow for all questions to be answered
- An extensive amount of materials specific to first responders, in particular telecommunications, is provided
Firefighters/EMS
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- Every disability has unique characteristics and features, and within each are varying ways of how they present. No one will present the exact same way as the next.
- The Recognize-Identify-Approach-Interaction-Response (RIAIR) Model allows for first responders to be confident in response to persons with disabilities.
- 10% of 911 calls are true emergencies, meaning that 90% of the time, there will be interactions that call for accurate, appropriate response.
- Communication barriers are a major challenge for first responders. Understanding how these present and best practices in overcoming them are crucial, having an understanding of how to communicate and use of the tools to assist are necessary for a productive response.
- Proactive education and awareness are imperative in first response. Reactive response jeopardizes persons with disabilities and can put them in peril.
- Fire safety and emergency needs planning has different components and aspects for persons with disabilities. Outreaching to persons and providers and the tools to address this are critical to health and wellbeing.
- Disabilities defined specific to first responders’ needs
- Emergency preparedness and federal guidelines
- Service provision and supports and how to develop collaborative relationships
- Challenging behaviors and responsiveness
- Municipality role and responsibility
- Progressive approaches to addressing emergency situations
- Proper etiquette and interaction skills
- Access and functional needs
- Fire Safety Planner and outreach
- American Sign Language specific to first responders
- Durable Medical Equipment (DME) and Assistive Technology
- Community resources and networks
- Current trends and topics
- Disabilities they will encounter and how to appropriately respond
- Will be able to better understand the challenges they face and how to address them effectively
- Emergency preparedness that will allow for proactive response in the township or community being served will be emphasized
- The ability to understand characteristics of individuals across all disability spectrums will be provided throughout the session
- Video presentations specific to emergency situation and individuals with disabilities with a breakdown and open discussion allow for all questions to be answered
- An extensive amount of materials specific to first responders is provided
Law Enforcement
Police Officer
- Every disability has unique characteristics and features, and within each are varying ways of how they present. No one will present the exact same way as the next.
- The Recognize-Identify-Approach-Interaction-Response (RIAIR) Model allows for first responders to be confident in response to persons with disabilities.
- 10% of 911 calls are true emergencies, meaning that 90% of the time, there will be interactions that call for accurate, appropriate response.
- Communication barriers are a major challenge for first responders. Understanding how these present and best practices in overcoming them are crucial, having an understanding of how to communicate and use of the tools to assist are necessary for a productive response.
- Proactive education and awareness are imperative in first response. Reactive response jeopardizes persons with disabilities and can put them in peril.
- When understood, the ADA provides guidance that ensures compliance with federal law through accurate response to matters where it comes to play.
- Disabilities defined specific to law enforcement
- Victimization/abuse and individuals with disabilities
- Service provision and supports and how to develop collaborative relationships
- Challenging behaviors and responsiveness
- Municipality role and responsibility
- Progressive approaches to addressing challenging situations
- Proper etiquette and interaction skills
- Alternative forms of communication (i.e., speech-generating devices, ASL)
- Comorbid/secondary and tertiary disabilities
- Durable Medical Equipment (DME), Assistive Technology
- Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) specific to law enforcement
- Interface with CIT
- Incident review, identifying appropriate response
- Community resources and networks
- Department infrastructure
- Current trends and topics
- Disabilities they will encounter and how to appropriately respond
- Introduction to the RIAIR Model
- Ensure proactive response that is sensitive but appropriate to challenging situations
- The ability to understand characteristics of individuals across all disability spectrums will be provided throughout the session
Video presentations specific to disabilities most frequently encountered with a breakdown and open discussion allow for all questions to be answered.
School Resource Officer
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Probation Officer
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Emergency Management
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