If you have a hearing impairment

Be prepared

If you have a hearing impairment, a power cut, a flood or other public emergency can be particularly challenging. This is especially true if you find it difficult to hear alarms and announcements. It is therefore important that you stay in touch with others so that you can get help when something happens. For example, you may need to find out where to get clean drinking water or where to find a shelter.

• Contact your local council and ask what support they can offer.
• Keep in touch with your neighbours on a day-to-day basis. It’s important that they are aware of your hearing impairment and that you may need help in an emergency.

Good to have at home

Everyone needs to be able to look after themselves for at least a week and keep a stock at home of food, water, medicines and other essentials.

Read more about home preparedness

Special advice for people with hearing impairment

• Keep information about your hearing impairment and how to communicate with you written down on a plastic-coated sheet of paper.
• Keep spare batteries for your assistive technology.
• Keep a pen and paper to hand so you can communicate in writing.
• Make sure you are registered so you can send a text message to SOS
• Alarm in an emergency. You can also call 112 using real-time text.
• Install a fire alarm adapted for people with hearing loss. Ideally, the alarm (vibrations and flashing lights) should work even without electricity.
• Use the Text Telephone, Video Telephone or Teletal services to speak to public authorities and organisations. For example, you can obtain information from 113 13, 114 14 and 1177 Vårdguiden.
• Download the SOS Alarm and Krisinformation apps so that you can receive important public announcements. Activate notifications in the apps.

Practise for a crisis

Imagine a crisis situation, such as a prolonged power cut. Think about how you would get hold of food, water and important information, how you would use the toilet, and how you would communicate with others when there is no electricity. Practising will help you be better prepared. You may also identify gaps in your preparedness that you can improve.