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E. NOTIFICATION AND WARNING The Indian River County Department of Emergency Services operates a 24-hour emergency communications center, either at the main office location during routine business hours or at the Sheriff's Office during off -hours. The primary point to point (County Warning Point to State Warning Point) voice communications mechanism is currently the National Warning System (NAWAS). It will be used to provide us with severe weather information, emergency notifications (incoming and outgoing) and other appropriate emergency management business or functions. In 2011, the Emergency Satellite Communications System (ESATCOM) voice system was replaced by the Emergency Management Network (EMnet), which delivers both voice and machine-readable text communication in seconds. The primary communication system operative through the Department prior to, during, or after an emergency is AT&T, a commercial carrier telephone service. When a determination has been made that inter -county resources will be required, appropriate DEM personnel will notify the ESF leaders from the required ESF. The ESF leaders will be responsible for alerting or notifying necessary personnel within their respective ESFs. 2. Across all age groups, in the United States, approximately 1,000,000 people (0.38% of the population, or 3.8 per 1,000) over 5 years of age are "functionally deaf;" more than half are over 65 years of age. About 8,000,000 people (3.7%) over 5 years of age are hard of hearing (that is, have some difficulty hearing normal conversation even with the use of a hearing aid). Again, more than half of those who are hard of hearing are over 65 years of age. While it is uncertain how many deaf or hearing-impaired residents are in Indian River County, our office is prepared to handle these calls through the use of a Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD). A TDD is a machine that can be connected to the telephone providing deaf and hard -of - hearing people with a way to use a telephone without an interpreter. TDD users type their messages on a standard typewriter keyboard, which is read on a display by the receiver using compatible equipment. The Indian River County Department of Emergency Services' TDD telephone number is published in the BellSouth Text Telephone Directory annually. The County switchboard is also equipped with TDD equipment, thus facilitating a transfer of a caller, if necessary. Television stations also display information via visual crawlers for the hearing impaired. Indian River County Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan Basic Page 89