Deaf told to listen to radio during tsunami

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A film aimed at helping deaf people prepare for a tsunami or earthquake has been criticised for telling them to listen to the radio for instructions.

It also showed an 0800 helpline number which blind people said should also have been read out to inform them.

Despite these slips, the 16-minute DVD was applauded by representatives of Auckland's disabled at its launch on Monday.

Auckland Civil Defence Controller Clive Manley said the DVD on preparing for disasters was the first presented in New Zealand sign language and captioned as a resource for deaf and hearing-impaired people.

The film had been seen by Civil Defence officials but the true test was showing it to the target audience.

"We asked them to tell us what else they want us to do.

"We showed we made the effort and we got it 80 per cent right."

The DVD - Disaster: It's About Being Ready - would be updated annually and groups would be able to order it from Civil Defence or download it from the website or view it on YouTube.

It would go out to schools and would be handed out at conferences, with a brochure.

The police offered an emergency 111 TXT service for registered deaf and hearing-impaired people, said police public relations manager Debbie Corney.

An audience member asked whether the DVD could be accessible to people who used English as a second language. Mr Manley said captions in English in the DVD could be changed in other versions to the language required.

During the Christchurch earthquake emergency, a sign language interpreter stood next to Mayor Bob Parker during televised briefings.