Accessible Emergency Communication System for People with Hearing Disabilities

The existing emergency dispatch infrastructure relies solely on landline voice calls and lacks support for text-based communication methods such as SMS or dedicated messaging apps. This creates significant challenges for individuals with speech disabilities who cannot effectively use traditional voice calls during emergencies. As a result, hearing-impaired persons face delays or inability to access immediate help, potentially risking their safety during urgent situations.

A government emergency services agency seeking to improve emergency accessibility for individuals with hearing impairments and speech disabilities, aiming to enhance public safety and inclusivity.

• Design and implement a mobile application that enables users with hearing impairments to request emergency assistance via text-based messaging without requiring voice calls.
• Ensure the solution is accessible, user-friendly, and compliant with relevant accessibility standards.
• Facilitate seamless communication between users and emergency dispatch centers through a dedicated, reliable messaging interface.
• Integrate the new communication system into existing emergency dispatch workflows to improve response times for hearing-impaired individuals.
• Achieve measurable improvements in emergency assistance accessibility, aiming to reduce response delays for affected users.

• User registration and authentication with accessibility settings
• Emergency help request through simple, quick-messaging interface
• Automated location sharing for rapid dispatching
• Real-time chat between user and emergency responders
• Push notifications for message delivery and response status
• Option to attach or share multimedia evidence if necessary
• Accessibility features such as large buttons, text-to-speech, and visual cues

• Emergency dispatch infrastructure to receive and respond to messages
• Location tracking systems for accurate incident coordination
• Notification services for alerts and updates
• Accessibility standards compliance modules

• System uptime of 99.9% to ensure reliability
• Response time for message delivery within 2 seconds under load
• Data encryption both at rest and in transit
• Compliance with accessibility and data privacy regulations
• Capacity to support at least 10,000 concurrent users initially, scalable as needed

The implementation of this emergency communication platform is expected to significantly improve safety outcomes for people with hearing disabilities by providing timely and effective assistance. It aims to reduce emergency response times and increase accessibility, thereby fostering a more inclusive and responsive public safety system. Expected measurable impacts include enhanced response efficiency, increased user engagement, and improved compliance with accessibility standards.