Firefighter's new BSL skills help deaf crash victim

June Lush described firefighter Ben Middleton as "a huge comfort" after she was involved in a crash

"I was terrified and thought I wouldn't survive, so I turned to God for help, and then Ben arrived to assist me."

June Lush, 78, who has been deaf since early childhood, initially felt overwhelmed and in pain when she was involved in a crash on the A6 in Derbyshire.

Fortunately, one of the first responders was firefighter Ben Middleton, who was quickly called over to interpret, utilising his newly-acquired British Sign Language (BSL) skills to take care of her.

June and Ben, whom she described as a "huge comfort", have since been reunited at the Royal School for the Deaf Derby, which is helping other firefighters like Ben learn BSL.

The school has been campaigning for better training for emergency services, after paramedics were unable to tell a deaf woman that her husband had died.

In June 2021, Elizabeth Corbett was at work when she received a distressed video call from her children to say her husband David, 51, had fallen ill.

By the time she got home, paramedics had arrived but could not explain to Mrs Corbett what had happened.

Mrs Corbett, who was born without hearing, eventually learned of her husband's death via a video call to her employer.

Elizabeth Corbett eventually learned of her husband David's death via a video call to her employer

David's death prompted an apology from East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) and backing from Strictly Come Dancing winner Rose Ayling-Ellis, who is deaf, who supported Mrs Corbett's calls for all emergency workers to have some BSL skills, and the ability to connect instantly to a qualified interpreter.

The school has trained nine firefighters in Level 1 BSL, while 33 Derbyshire Police officers have been trained elsewhere in Level 1.

Some are now being trained in Level 2 BSL at the school, although EMAS is not taking part.

A spokesperson for the ambulance service said: "Due to the demands on the service and our staff, we must ensure we balance operational need and at the time of being approached, we were unable to attend the training offered."

EMAS added working with the Nottinghamshire Deaf Society, it had produced a video to educate staff of the deaf community "in relation to common emergency communication problems".

Mrs Corbett was backed by Strictly Come Dancing's first deaf contestant, and 2021 winner, Rose Ayling-Ellis

Ben, an on-call firefighter in Crich, was able to put his training to good use when he came to June's aid in Ambergate in August.

June said she initially felt overwhelmed.

"At first, I was very panicked in that situation," she said.

"Being in such severe pain, it was a huge comfort to have someone I could communicate with and who could offer support.

"I was terrified and thought I wouldn't survive, so I turned to God for help, and then Ben arrived to assist me."

Ben and June recently reunited at the school that trained him in BSL

Ben, who has been a Derbyshire firefighter for two years, said learning BSL had been invaluable.

He said: "I was quickly called over to go and interpret. I went over with June into the ambulance, so I was working with the ambulance technicians, asking her about her age and any previous medical conditions.

"I was just trying to make her feel at ease really. That was the first incident I had been to where I needed it, but for myself and the crew at Crich, we thought it was a really invaluable skill to have.

"I encourage anybody, not just those in the services, to learn this skill. We live in a society with deaf people so they should have the same access as everybody else."

The firefighters have had weekly sessions at the school

Children at the Royal School for the Deaf Derby presented firefighters with their certificates

Pupils from the school were invited to present Ben and the other participants with certificates for their completion of the Level 1 qualification on 1 October.

Marie Clampitt, BSL lead at the school, said: "It is absolutely important because if there is an emergency like with June and with her state of panic and anxiety, for a deaf person, that can double.

"It can feel a lot more traumatising, because they don't have that communication.

"If emergency service staff can sign, it puts them at ease and comfort."

Marie Clampitt hopes that it will become mandatory for emergency service workers to learn BSL