ATLANTA — On International Day of Sign Languages, Atlanta police officers and firefighters are learning a new skill that could help save valuable time during emergencies: American Sign Language.
Channel 2’s Brittany Kleinpeter got an exclusive look as first responders gathered at the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center for specialized training designed to help them communicate with people who are deaf or hard of hearing.
One of the first words participants learned was “hello,” but instructors said the goal goes far beyond learning a few simple greetings.
Officers and firefighters spent the day practicing signs with one another and learning how to communicate critical information during emergency situations.
“A lot of times we run into situations where we meet different people, and being able to communicate is so important,” said Marcus Standley with Atlanta Fire Rescue.
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The training is being offered through a partnership between the Mayor’s Office of One Atlanta and the Atlanta Police Department.
Officials say the classes are aimed at making interactions with first responders more accessible for everyone in the community.
“This is one class of many to make sure that our officers and people who are engaging with our citizens are prepared and that our city has a good experience engaging with law enforcement,” said Angela Bowers Thomas, director of Disability Access and ADA Compliance for the Mayor’s Office of One Atlanta.
The lesson was especially meaningful for Dominique Grooms, an Atlanta police sergeant who has personal experience learning sign language.
“I had a deaf teammate in college, and I wanted to better communicate with him, so I took it upon myself to learn,” Grooms said.
Now, he says those skills can help him connect with an even larger community while serving on the job.
City leaders say the training is about more than learning signs. It’s about making sure officers and firefighters have another tool available when they encounter someone who may not be able to communicate verbally.
In an emergency, those extra communication skills could help first responders better understand a situation, provide assistance more quickly, and build trust with members of the deaf and hard-of-hearing community.
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