Canada’s wireless service providers have launched a new ASL and LSQ video series to provide an overview of the Canadian Wireless Public Alerting (WPA) system for consumers that are Deaf, Deaf-Blind, or Hard-of-Hearing (DDBHH), according to an announcement on the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association (CWTA) website.
The videos, which are being released with the start of National AccessAbility Week, are part of the continuing collaboration between the country’s wireless industry and the DDBHH community.
“National AccessAbility Week is about changing the way we think, talk, and act about inclusion, and we are thrilled to be part of an industry-wide effort to remove barriers and provide such a crucial service to consumers who are Deaf, Deaf-Blind, or Hard-of-Hearing,” said Rob Ghiz, President and CEO of the CWTA.
Alert Ready is a service designed to deliver emergency alert messages to Canadians. The WPA system is part of Alert Ready and distributes these alerts to compatible mobile devices, specifically smartphones.
“Wireless public alerts are a critical tool for emergency management, and because of this new video series, important information about this potentially life-saving system will be available to more Canadians than ever before,” added Ghiz. “These ASL and LSQ videos are just one example of how the industry has responded to making information more accessible.”
ASL and LSQ videos are now available for the following nine topic areas:
- Introduction to Wireless Public Alerting
- Roles and Responsibilities of WPA Partners
- WPA-compatible Devices
- Wireless Public Alerts
- Test Alerts
- Receiving Wireless Public Alerts While Traveling
- Device Performance and Troubleshooting for Android Devices
- Device Performance and Troubleshooting for Apple Devices
- Device Performance and Troubleshooting of Devices Purchased from Other Countries
All videos were produced with closed captioning, and include a voice-over and transcripts to ensure there is full accessibility.
Since the launch of wireless public alerts in April 2018, over 120 emergency alerts have been distributed across Canada and have been credited with saving lives and apprehending suspects.
Source: CWTA
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