An emerging training and communication book for first responders in communicating with Deaf people during disasters.

The article focuses on evaluating an educational intervention and a communication tool designed to improve emergency first responders' (EFRs) communication with Deaf American Sign Language (ASL) users during disasters. The study assessed changes in EFRs' Deaf cultural knowledge, comfort in communication, and perceived barriers before, immediately after, and three months following a 30-minute online training, which included introduction to the Deaf Community Communication Catalog (DC3)—a comprehensive, portable emergency/disaster communication booklet. Results from 167 participants in the Rochester, New York area showed significant improvements in Deaf culture knowledge, increased awareness of communication barriers, and greater comfort in disaster-related communication tasks post-training; 96% found DC3 useful for bridging communication gaps. The study highlights the importance of culturally informed training and practical tools like DC3 to enhance disaster preparedness and response for Deaf communities, while noting limitations such as sample attrition and the need for hands-on training and broader validation.