Babylon answers call to help connect deaf residents with others via phone

The Town of Babylon has unveiled a free service for deaf residents and nonresidents who know sign language that gives them a new communication option they can use 24 hours a day.  

Officials installed the Deaf Video Relay Service system on Feb. 3 inside the front entrance of the Public Safety Division, located in the Town Hall Annex in North Babylon. Users don't need computer knowledge to use it, said Andrew Baranowski, the director of information technology for the town. Unlimited calls can be made anywhere in the United States, including Hawaii and Alaska, and to Guam.

“The reason we put in this system is to help out residents in town who are hearing impaired,” said Baranowski, who along with town officials conducted a trial run of the service last week. 

To begin, a caller sits in front of the monitor, which has a video camera attached, and then uses a remote control to dial the number of the person they are trying to reach. Once the number is dialed, the system provides an interpreter who is not hearing impaired and also knows sign language to speak on their behalf to the person they called. The person receiving the call does not need a video camera.  

The system is available around the clock because the public safety division — which is responsible for safeguarding town property and staffing town events and buildings — is always open.

Town spokesman Kevin Bonner said the system was provided at no cost, courtesy of Tylin Promotions’ Deaf Sensitivity Training, a Mesa, Arizona-based business. Through its owner, Fred Greenspan, the business provides training to help people better understand the deaf community. 

Greenspan calls the service “a miracle of technology.”

“In today’s world of communication, when people do not communicate, I’ll tell you what happens —nothing,” said Greenspan, a former Massapequa resident. 

Greenspan was on Long Island last year, conducting a sensitivity training class in the West Babylon Union Free School District. He said he called several libraries to try to interest them in offering the service, and only wanted assurances that it would be available to use beyond normal business hours. Greenspan said he didn't get any callbacks.

Babylon officials said they believe no other town in Suffolk County has the system, but there is one in Hempstead Town. Ken Bellafiore, director of the Freeport Memorial Library, said the village library has had the service for six years. Their system is from Sorenson Communications, a Salt Lake City-based company that specializes in providing interpreters and video relay service devices to help the deaf communicate.

“As soon as we brought it here, we put it in an area where people could see it,” Bellafiore said. “It’s been used since day one.”

Claire McKeon, executive director for the Town of Babylon’s youth and disabled services, said the video relay system should be available everywhere. 

“This should be in every Town Hall, in every library,” McKeon said. “We’re very grateful to have it here, but I think that we have to do a better job serving our disabled people.”