FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CR

THURSDAY, APRIL 9, 1998

PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, MARYLAND TO AGREE TO GIVE DEAF VOLUNTEERS

A CHANCE TO BE EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIANS, UNDER AGREEMENT

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Prince George's County, Maryland, will

provide applicants with disabilities an equal opportunity to
volunteer as emergency medical technicians, under an agreement
reached today with the Justice Department.

Today's agreement resolves complaints filed with the Justice

Department charging that the Prince George's County Police and Fire
Department violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The
complaints alleged the Department refused to certify two qualified
applicants with hearing impairments.

"There's no reason to automatically exclude all persons who

are deaf or hard of hearing from volunteering as Emergency Medical
Technicians," said Acting Assistant Attorney General for Civil
Rights Bill Lann Lee. "Hearing loss does not render a person
categorically incapable of performing on the job."

Under the terms of the agreement, the county will:

no longer automatically reject applicants to be volunteer fire

fighters or rescue technicians solely on the basis of
disability;

evaluate, on an individual basis, every applicant's ability to

perform the essential functions of the position;

train all personnel who participate in making volunteer

application decisions as well as medical personnel hired to
evaluate applicants; and

offer to reevaluate the complainants' application for active

membership.

Audrey Hill, who is deaf, and Susan Boswell-Maier, who is hard

of hearing, filed complaints in 1993, alleging that the county
refused to accept them for active membership as EMTs, in violation
of the ADA. The complaints alleged that when the women applied to
be EMTs the county informed them of its policy of not certifying
individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing, respectively.
 The Department reached a similar agreement requiring the city
of Nashville to change its hiring policies after it denied a
qualified paramedic a job because he was partially deaf.

"Many EMTs and paramedics who are deaf or hard of hearing,

perform their professional duties successfully every day," Mr. Lee
added. "Job performance is not determined by whether an individual
has a physical disability."

Under Title II of the ADA, public entities, including county

fire departments, are prohibited from discriminating against
qualified individuals on the basis of their disabilities. Counties
are required to ensure that qualified persons who are deaf or hard
of hearing have an equal opportunity to benefit from the counties'
programs and services, including participation as volunteer EMTs or
firefighters.

Attorney General Janet Reno has launched a public education

campaign to educate Americans about their rights and obligations
under the law. As part of the campaign, President Clinton
participated in a public service announcement that aired on
hundreds of radio stations across the country.

If you are interested in learning more about the ADA or you

have questions about how to prevent discrimination on the basis of
disability, contact the Department of Justice Technical Assistance
Line at:(800) 514-0301; (800) 514-0383 (TTY), or go to the DOJ
Internet Homepage at:
http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/adahom1.htm.

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