[nabs-l] Building Emergancy Captain

Thu Aug 27 18:39:09 UTC 2015

I would say that I have to agree with Joe on  here.
 I think it is important to found out the requirements of the job both from what the written job description tells you and   what people in the position will tell you.
  There are certain things you can do non-visually, some things you’ll find is best to do with some assistance, and other things you quite simply may not be able to do because they are just too visual of a task.
 Some things require skills that you will be trained on and certain things require training that you need to have before you’ve applied to a job.
 If the job requires  you have first responder type skills, it is possible that you will be trained on these things.  However if you   are potentially working with  people who are deafer hard of hearing then you might might need to know ASL. If you do need to know ASL then so would anyone else applying and it would simply be a matter of if you have prior knowledge; blindness has nothing to do with it.
 If it is something that you want to do, then do your due diligence, people appreciate that work ethic.
  Best, of luck and do let us know how it works out.

  Darian      
> On Aug 27, 2015, at 10:58 AM, Ben Fulton via nabs-l <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> 
> Thanks Jo,
> 
> I feel that perspective is very helpful.  I will be sending an email along to someone who has agreed to put me in touch with the current Emergancy Captain for the building.  I will talk to them about the specific duties required.  I read the emergency fact sheet and know what everyone is expected to do.  I just wanted to make sure that I wouldn't look like an idiot asking the Emergancy Coordinator for a position and then being dumbfounded if I was asked how to find and assist unconscious people, or how to plan an escape route, or other questions involving assessing danger.  I was just hoping to get some ideas about how to adequately interpret the conditions of an emergency situation so I would have some good ideas to help me function as an effective Emergancy Captain.
> 
> Best wishes,
> Ben
>> Date: Wed, 26 Aug 2015 20:06:32 -0400
>> From: "Joe" <jsoro620 at gmail.com>
>> To: "'National Association of Blind Students mailing list'"
>> 	<nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
>> Subject: [nabs-l] Emergency Captain
>> Message-ID: <001b01d0e05c$3b8f8960$b2ae9c20$@gmail.com>
>> Content-Type: text/plain;	charset="us-ascii"
>> 
>> Ben,
>> 
>> I appreciate your interest in the blindness perspective for your question.
>> Yet, I think it would make more sense to engage the people responsible for
>> selecting captains. That may sound counterintuitive. Why would you ask
>> questions of the people you are attempting to impress with confidence? Yet
>> they would be more familiar with the exact guidelines required of their
>> emergency captains. You might very well be stressing out over expectations
>> they may not even have. I highly doubt the captain is singularly responsible
>> for the safety and security of a whole building. There are typically people
>> assigned to specific areas of responsibility, and you might be the perfect
>> candidate to help direct these monitors through their tasks. It seems to me
>> you are seeking permission to be a captain, and no one here is going to
>> grant you that permission. You want it or you don't. The people at your
>> school will either choose you or they won't, but here's the thing, even if
>> you aren't selected, an emergency captain is merely a formality. If the
>> substance ever hits the fan, what's to stop you from getting in there and
>> pitching in whatever way would be most useful? If you believe you have the
>> calm temperament to remain steady under pressure, get in there and help.
>> I'll tell you what I've told other blind people regarding gun ownership: If
>> you aren't willing to commit to killing, there's no sense in you carrying a
>> gun. To put it in context, if you aren't willing to risk your life to help
>> another, don't bother applying. Get comfortable with that basic
>> understanding, and you'll make a fine emergency captain whether the powers
>> that be acknowledge it or not.
>> 
>> Joe
>> 
>> --
>> Musings of a Work in Progress:
>> www.JoeOrozco.com/
>> 
>> Twitter: @ScribblingJoe
>> 
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nabs-l [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Ben Fulton via
>> nabs-l
>> Sent: Wednesday, August 26, 2015 7:04 PM
>> To: nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>> Cc: Ben Fulton
>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] nabs-l Digest, Vol 106, Issue 27
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Hi Caitlin,
>> 
>> Thank you for your response.  I'm still not sure what to do if an
>> unconscious person is in a room alone.  How would I know that there is
>> someone in the room if no one answers?  Also, what if I had to assist a deaf
>> person?
>> 
>> I also want to be prepared if the person accepting my application ask me a
>> question like. - How would you plan an escape route? If there was a fire
>> would you be able to see the flames and know which way to exit the building?
>> 
>> I know the protocols for a dangerous person/lock down situation on campus,
>> but what if they ask me - How would you be able to tell if a threatening
>> person was coming toward your location? - I could say by sound but I want to
>> make sure that my answers instill confidence in my ability to do the job.
>> As well as I want to be able to do the job.  The last thing I want is to
>> take on a responsibility as a emergency captain and be incompetent at my
>> job. People could get seriously injured if I am not qualified to perform the
>> duties I agree to.  
>> 
>> I also would welcome feedback on the feasibility of this task.  How do the
>> other members of NABS feel about the ability of a fully blind student to
>> ensure the safety of other students on campus?
>> 
>> Also, I want to know how I would instill confidence in sighted students.
>> How do I convince them that I am capable of looking after the emergency
>> situation?
>> 
>> I appreciate your feedback and look forward to more responses about this
>> 
>> Sincerely,
>> Ben
>> 
>>> Hi Ben,
>>> As for fires, heat and the detection of smoke would be the most
>> important.. The range of fires is detected mostly by heat and how thick
>> smoke is. A sighted person would be able to tell if a fire is really bad by
>> the color of the smoke, but I usually use how strong the smoke smells.
>> Regardless, if there is a fire in the building, everyone should evacuate no
>> matter how big or small it is. It is however good to know where all the fire
>> exits and fire extinguishers are in case of a tiny fire like in a garbage
>> can. 
>>> If someone is unconscious, I assume they wouldn't be in a room alone and
>> that someone would call for help for them. A d if you are in the room as
>> well to tell if they are unconsciouss, repeating their name, ask if they are
>> okay and if no response then I'd assume they were non-responsive. You can
>> also lift their arm up and if it falls to the ground then they are
>> unconscious, because no one who is conscious would want/be willing to let
>> their arm fall on top of them.
>>> To assess an injury...hmmm.. I would ask what level of pain the person is
>> feeling on a scale from one to ten. If it is a cut or something I would get
>> cloth and have pressure applied to the wounded area, as far as something
>> like a break, I am not really sure. It's always good to learn basic first
>> aid and safety measures in different situations.
>>> If there is a threatening person on campus, it is best for students and
>> faculty to stay where they are (or get inside), go into a classroom or
>> somewhere else potentially safe, stay low to the crowd, under a desk or
>> something like that. Don't be near windows and lock all doors. I think most
>> schools nowadays have a system that if there issuspicious activity on campus
>> you can sign up for emails or text messages to alert you.
>>> 
>>> Hope this helps.
>>> Cheers,
>>> Caitlin
>>> 
>>> Sent from my iPhone
>>> 
>>>> On Aug 24, 2015, at 17:17, Ben Fulton via nabs-l <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
>> wrote:
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> Greetings fellow students.
>>>> 
>>>> I was thinking that I would like to become the Emergency Captain for the
>> building I have most of my classes in.  Perhaps not this year as I am new to
>> campus but perhaps next year after I have had time to learn where all the
>> exits and other important features are located.  While discussing this with
>> a sighted friend of mine she brought up several good questions I did not
>> have ready answers for, so I thought I would ask members of this list to
>> help me with this.  
>>>> 
>>>> 1. In case of a fire how could you tell if flames were imminent? - I
>> thought by heat but I don't think heat alone would be sufficient.
>>>> 
>>>> 2. How would you be able to quickly assess the level of personal injury?
>>>> 
>>>> 3 Would you be able to know if someone is unconscious and in need of
>> assistance? - Seriously, if someone was unconscious how would you know that
>> they were in the room?
>>>> 
>>>> 4. - Basically all these questions add up to asking - would you actually
>> be able to do the job?
>>>> 
>>>> I am nearly completely blind with no detail left so I would not be able
>> to see if there was a person in a room or not.
>>>> 
>>>> Other concerns might also include, - How would you deal with a situation
>> involving a dangerous person on campus posing a risk to other students?
>>>> 
>>>> And please help me think of any other concerns that might come up.  I
>> would like to have thought out and reasonable answers before putting in my
>> request.
>>>> 
>>>> Be Well,
>>>> Ben 
>>>> 
> 
> 		 	   		  
> _______________________________________________
> nabs-l mailing list
> nabs-l at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for nabs-l:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/dsmithnfb%40gmail.com