Hurricane Irma Emergency 'Fake' Interpreter

Man incorrectly interprets sign language during Manatee County evacuation briefing at Hurricane Irma press conference in Florida.

ST. PETERSBURG, FL -- Watch the video of a man incorrectly interpreting a message from Florida evacuation officials in sign language has prompted harsh criticism from the Deaf community. Officials for the Manatee County Emergency Operations Center delivered an evacuation briefing to residents on Friday at 12 p.m. ET as a man standing next to the podium attempted to sign the message for Deaf and Hard of Hearing viewers, but misinterpreted officials' words.

Here's captions to show you what the "fake sign language interpreter" was actually signing.

Manatee County Marine Rescue Chief Joe Westerman confirmed to ABC News that Marshall Greene, a current lifeguard for the county, was the man who attempted to interpret Friday's briefing.

- Florida's ASL Interpreter Steals The Show

VisCom, a professional sign language interpreting service that serves southwest and central Florida, told ABC News that Manatee County is a regular vendor of theirs for a variety of services with the sheriff's department and the courts. However, VisCom owner Charlene McCarthy told ABC News that no one from Manatee County reached out to request an interpreter ahead of that Friday briefing.

Additionally, McCarthy said she called the Manatee County Emergency Management team to express her disappointment after watching the video, adding that her company was available to accommodate them up for future press conferences as early as the next morning, but said the office never followed up to book an official interpreter.

VisCom said the man in question is not fluent in American Sign Language (ASL), alleging that, "[He] definitely doesn't have the skill set to function in the role of an interpreter," McCarthy said.

The Daily Moth, a Deaf News agency that delivers videos using ASL, reported on the video, criticizing officials for not using a certified interpreter.

Alex Abenchuchan, The Daily Moth's Deaf Host, confirmed in his own report that Greene's interpretations were incorrect, writing in a response to the incident on Facebook that allegedly Greene only knows "some signs because of a Deaf Sibling."

The Manatee County Facebook page showed other press conferences after Friday's noon briefing that no longer included an interpreter.

Manatee County Emergency Operations did not immediately respond to ABC News's request for comment as they continue working on hurricane efforts. Greene did not respond to ABC News' request for comment.

In 2013, a "fake" sign language interpreter stood next to former President Barack Obama on stage during Nelson Mandela’s memorial service, later raising questions over Secret Service security concerns.

The South African government and the interpreter himself, Thamsanqa Jantjie, claimed he had a schizophrenic break down that caused him to see illusions during the event, impacting his attempted signing.

SOURCE - ABC News

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Hurricane Irma Emergency 'Fake' Interpreter

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Deaf Woman Helps Two Boys By Texting 911

Deaf woman helps 2 boys left in car in Georgia by texting 911.

ALPHARETTA, GA -- A Deaf woman in Georgia helped two boys she found alone in a car by texting 911. Lisa Collins said she knew she could report what she saw because she was in Alpharetta, one of four police agencies in Georgia that provides texting access to 911.

"Our 911 dispatcher was able to text back with her," said George Gordon, from the Alpharetta Department of Public Safety. Gordon said this is the first time anyone had texted 911 since they started the service in late 2014.

Collins texted to 911, "Someone left two young kids in the car, they're about two and five, I think...," and gave police the location where she was.

"I have two children of my own and I didn't think it was right to do that," said Collins. "I was thrilled when the 911 operator answered my text."

Gordon said having texting access to 911 is very beneficial.

"It could be domestic violence, whatever it is, where you don't have to speak, you text in anything to the 911 center now in our city."

In this case, police said a babysitter left the children in the car briefly and they handled the situation without arresting her.

SOURCE - WHDH

Deaf Hunter Crawls From Forest After Accident

Crawls out of woods, survives serious leg injury after deer stand falls.

GREENVILLE, North Carolina -- Reporter interview with Joe, who is Deaf, tells his story of falling out of a tree and breaking his leg during a solo hunting trip. It took him 12 hours to crawl from the forest and another several to find aid.

Joe Liuzza got home alive, just barely. Through grit and determination, he was able to win his battle against nature and pull himself and his mangled leg out of a swamp following a hunting-related accident near Robersonville that turned into a 14-hour ordeal.

Liuzza, 47, was home temporarily from the hospital on Dec. 13 and feeling a little more relaxed as he recounted the details of his harrowing experience.

It was easy to see in his features and by the steel cage wrapped around his right lower leg, rods poking through the skin to hold the disconnected portions of his bones in place that he had been through a struggle that he and his wife, Delia, owner of The Tipsy Teapot in Greenville, would never forget. She served as her husband's sign-language interpreter because Joe is Deaf... Read The Full Story.

Dispatcher Hailed Hero For Helping Deaf Woman's Mother

Dispatcher hailed hero for helping Deaf woman's mother through by VRS.

NASHVILLE, Tennessee -- A Clarksville woman is grateful to a 911 dispatcher who got help to her Deaf mother Monday night. Lisa Prichard lives in Clarksville and was home when her mother texted her that something was wrong.

Prichard was able to video call her mother Joy Gournaris, 68, at Gournaris' Antioch home. "She was confused, she didn't understand what was going on and was getting ready to pass out," Prichard said.

Prichard knew if she tried to drive to her mother's home from Clarksville it would take her an hour. She was also concerned because it appeared her mother was having a stroke and every second counted.

Prichard kept her mother on video phone and called 911 from her Clarksville home. Clarksville's 911 center transferred her to Nashville where 911 Dispatcher Lori Bentley took over the phone call.

"While, I'm communicating with sign language with my mother I was talking to the dispatcher," Prichard said. "I had to really be calm and think about what I was saying. I wanted to cry and scream, but I stayed calm for my mother."

The video relay system Gournaris uses has a 911 emergency component that allows her to make emergency calls... Read The Full Story.