Empathy in Action: Enhancing 911 for the Deaf Community

When it comes to improving emergency services, some people are driven by a deeper sense of purpose. For Earl Karcher, Product Manager at Tyler Technologies and Reserve Deputy in Michigan, that sense of purpose is shaped by his own life experiences.

At Tyler, Earl works closely on computer-aided dispatch solutions, with a special focus on Text-to-911. His work isn’t just about developing technology — it’s about creating tools that help first responders do their jobs more efficiently, resulting in safer communities, including those in marginalized groups like the deaf and hard-of-hearing population.

“I am a CODA, which means, child of deaf adults. I grew up with a deaf family. My parents are profoundly deaf,” Karcher said.

Earl’s daughter and partner are also deaf. This personal connection to this underserved community has deeply influenced Earl’s approach to improving functionality and availability of Next Generation 911 tools like Text-to-911 — a technology that is revolutionizing emergency communication.

“It provides another way of accessing 911, not only for those who are in situations where they are not comfortable speaking or unable to speak, but also for those that are deaf or hard of hearing and unable to pick up the phone and make a phone call,” Karcher said.

He goes on to say that the difference is sometimes in the small details of what this technology has to offer, such as first responders having the ability to access designated ‘health profiles’ that are set up for any community member who wishes to have one.

“They have a health profile that can be shared with 911 to tell them they are deaf and I can share information that there are deaf people in my household — it’s these features that are specifically designed to make sure that responders are prepared to provide assistance to everyone before they even arrive on the scene,” Karcher explained.

As an advocate, Earl’s passion for his work continues to be fueled by making sure that people like his daughter and parents have the proper resources to receive help in the event of an emergency.

“Deaf people are very accustomed to not having equal access to things, because this is primarily a hearing person world and when it comes to 911, we can’t afford to leave anyone behind,” Karcher said.