Current:Home > reviewsKentucky sign language interpreter honored in program to give special weather radios to the deaf -EverVision Finance
Kentucky sign language interpreter honored in program to give special weather radios to the deaf
View
Date:2025-04-14 07:57:35
Putting grant money into action is routine for Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, but an effort to provide weather alerts to people who are deaf or hard of hearing is tugging at his heart.
The grant-backed campaign to distribute 700 specially adapted weather alert radios to the deaf and hard of hearing is named in honor of his friend Virginia Moore, who died last year. She was the governor’s sidekick as the sign language interpreter for his briefings during the height of COVID-19. The updates became a staple for Kentuckians, and Moore gained celebrity status. She even got her own bobblehead of her likeness.
Beshear tapped the bobblehead displayed on his podium as he announced the “Moore Safe Nights” program, which will distribute the radios at no cost to eligible Kentuckians who apply. It is an effort to ensure all Kentuckians have equal access to information that can keep them safe, he said Thursday.
“I think Virginia would have loved this program,” Beshear said, his voice shaking with emotion. “Virginia has a legacy for service that is living on with new programs.”
The weather radios were purchased with funding from an emergency preparedness grant and other funds, Beshear said. The state will seek additional funds with a goal of eventually providing the radios to every Kentuckian who needs one, he said.
The radios are equipped with pillow-shaker and strobe-light attachments to alert people who are deaf and hard of hearing of severe weather warnings issued by the National Weather Service. The radios also have text displays that light up, so they know the type of weather warning issued.
“As Kentuckians know all too well, severe weather can strike at any hour,” Beshear said. “And the most dangerous time is when people are sleeping.”
No matter how vigilant deaf and hard-of-hearing people are in monitoring weather alerts, their vulnerability increases once they fall asleep because they are unable to hear alarms and sirens, said Anita Dowd, executive director of the Kentucky Commission on the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.
“This equipment will allow users to rest easier knowing that they now have access to this important and often life-saving information,” Dowd said.
Kentucky has more than 700,000 deaf and hard-of-hearing residents, the governor said.
Moore, who died at age 61, was known as a tireless champion for the deaf and hard of hearing and served as executive director of the state commission that advocates for them.
On Thursday, Beshear spoke about their bond. At the end of each long day of work during the height of the pandemic, he said, he would see her on his way home to his family at the governor’s mansion.
“She’d look at me and say, ‘I hope you’re OK and take care of yourself,’ ” he recalled. “That’s pretty special. That’s who she was, looking out for everybody else, including me.”
___
Eligible Kentuckians can go to https://www.kcdhh.ky.gov/msn/ or call 800-372-2907 or 502-416-0607 to apply for a radio, Radios will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.
veryGood! (6921)
Related
- North Carolina justices rule for restaurants in COVID
- Moms for Liberty fully embraces Trump and widens role in national politics as election nears
- Are Walmart, Target and Home Depot open on Labor Day? See retail store hours and details
- Summer camp lets kids be kids as vilifying immigration debate roils at home
- Trump's 'stop
- Murder on Music Row: Shots in the heart of country music disrupt the Nashville night
- Drew Barrymore reflects on her Playboy cover in 'vulnerable' essay
- Pilot declared emergency, loss of autopilot before crash that killed 3 members of famed gospel group
- The 401(k) millionaires club keeps growing. We'll tell you how to join.
- Watch this smart pup find her owner’s mom’s grave with ease despite never meeting her
Ranking
- Trump's 'stop
- Retiring in Florida? There's warm winters and no income tax but high home insurance costs
- NASCAR Cup race at Darlington: Reddick wins regular season, Briscoe takes Darlington
- Rapper Fatman Scoop dies at 53 after collapsing on stage
- Selena Gomez's "Weird Uncles" Steve Martin and Martin Short React to Her Engagement
- California lawmakers approve legislation to ban deepfakes, protect workers and regulate AI
- Man charged with murder in connection to elderly couple missing from nudist ranch: Police
- Scottie Scheffler career earnings: FedEx Cup winner banks massive payout
Recommendation
IRS recovers $4.7 billion in back taxes and braces for cuts with Trump and GOP in power
Why is ABC not working on DirecTV? Channel dropped before LSU-USC amid Disney dispute
Gaudreau’s wife thanks him for ‘the best years of my life’ in Instagram tribute to fallen NHL player
NCAA blocks Oklahoma State use of QR code helmet stickers for NIL fund
Working Well: When holidays present rude customers, taking breaks and the high road preserve peace
How Swimmer Ali Truwit Got Ready for the 2024 Paralympics a Year After Losing Her Leg in a Shark Attack
Sephora Flash Sale: Get 50% Off Shay Mitchell’s Sunscreen, Kyle Richards’ Hair Treatment & More
These Jewelry Storage Solutions Are Game Changers for Your Earrings, Bracelets, & Necklaces