FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                          CR
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 1995                          (202) 616-2765
                                               TDD (202) 514-1888
                                 
    FORT LAUDERDALE REACHES SETTLEMENT WITH JUSTICE DEPARTMENT
        TO ENSURE 9-1-1 SERVICES FOR PERSONS WHO ARE DEAF

                                 
     WASHINGTON, D.C. -- People who are deaf, hard of hearing, or
who have speech impairments will be able to communicate effectively
with 9-1-1 emergency operators in Fort Lauderdale, under a
settlement reached today between the city and the Department of
Justice. 
     The settlement agreement resolves a complaint filed under the
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) alleging that a woman who is
deaf tried to summon police twice using a telecommunications device
for the deaf, or TDD.  She failed to receive a response from the
police either time due in part to a lack of TDDs at the calltakers'
positions.  People who use TDDs type their conversations on their
end and their words are read by the receiving party who also must
have a TDD to read the conversation and respond. 
     "This settlement will ensure that calls to 9-1-1 by people who
are deaf, hard of hearing, or who have speech impairments will no
longer go unanswered in Fort Lauderdale," said Assistant Attorney
General for Civil Rights Deval L. Patrick.  "A 9-1-1 call may mean
the difference between life and death.  Access to 9-1-1 services
has been a serious problem for millions of Americans who are deaf,
hard of hearing or who have speech impairments."
     The ADA prohibits discrimination against persons with
disabilities.  Title II of the ADA requires counties and cities to
ensure that their telephone emergency services, including 9-1-1
services, provide direct access to individuals who use TDDs.  
     Under the settlement, the city has agreed to modify its
current practices to ensure that the services provided to
individuals who use TDDs are as effective as those provided to
others.  The city has also agreed to install a minimum of one TDD 
at each of two consoles, for a total of at least four TDDs.
     The city has also agreed to implement a public education
program to promote the use of 9-1-1 by individuals who use TDDs.      In a related matter, Broward County has recently agreed to
take several actions to ensure effective handling of TDD calls in
their separate county 9-1-1 system.  On February 21, 1995, the
Department of Justice sent a letter to the County stating that the
complaint against the County had been resolved because of the
actions that had been or would soon be taken, including
improvements to their new 9-1-1 system.
     "Fort Lauderdale and Broward County have taken positive steps
toward eliminating discrimination against individuals with
disabilities," noted Patrick. "Individuals with disabilities have
been paying for access to these services for many years, and it is
time that this access is provided." 
     The Justice Department can seek relief in federal court if the
city fails to comply with the terms of the agreement.

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