In West Haven, Connecticut, a Deaf man has achieved his dream by passing the firefighter training test. Joe Cronin wanted to be a firefighter since he was a child. An ASL user, Cronin will lipread and use hand signals to do his job.
Fox News reported Cronin as saying “They’ve accepted me for who I am.” His mother added: “When he wants to do something, he just goes for it. I was scared, but then I realised that he can really do this job.”
Cronin has been cleared for outdoor emergencies like a bush fire or a car fire, but can’t work on emergency calls because he is unable to make a ‘mayday’ call.
The fire chief Jimmy O’Brien said: “I think we learned a heck of a lot more from Joe than he learned from us.”
See Cronin in action in the video at this link: (alas there are no subtitles!)
http://fox4kc.com/2012/06/20/deaf-man-pursues-dream-of-being-a-firefighter/
Enjoying our eggs? Support The Limping Chicken:
The Limping Chicken is the world's most popular Deaf blog, and is edited by Deaf journalist, screenwriter and director Charlie Swinbourne.
Our posts represent the opinions of blog authors, they do not represent the site's views or those of the site's editor. Posting a blog does not imply agreement with a blog's content. Read our disclaimer here and read our privacy policy here.
Find out how to write for us by clicking here, and how to follow us by clicking here.
The site exists thanks to our supporters. Check them out below:
- BSL Zone: TV programmes in BSL for the Deaf community
- Deaf Umbrella: sign language interpreting - find out about listening fatigue.
- Bellman & Symfon: home alerting solutions, including the mobile phone transceiver!
- SignVideo: Instant BSL video interpreting online
- SignHealth: check out the BSL health library
- 999 BSL: call 999 in an emergency, in BSL
- Appa: Looking for RSLIs, TSLIs and CSWs, apply here!
- Mary Hare School: Education for deaf children and young people
- Signly: Adding BSL to websites
- Signworld: Learn BSL online!
- DCAL: world-class research into deafness, cognition and language
- Action Deafness: “A Deaf-Led Charity” – interpreting & community support services
- Sign Solutions: Instant access to Interpreters, training and BSL translation nationwide
- InterpretersLive: On demand BSL video interpretation
- Lipspeaker UK: specialist lipspeaking support
- Performance Interpreting: BSL interpreting at concerts
- National Deaf Children's Society: The leading charity for deaf children
Sasha Thorpe
June 22, 2012
😀
Terrry
June 22, 2012
We have deaf firefighters (he is LT) in Alabama for about 5 years (volunteers for about 10 years)
Em Aris
June 23, 2012
Just had the biggest smile when I watched the clip -what a fantastic attitude that young mans got!. Shame no subtitles though.