Community-led
The lived experiences of Deaf and DeafBlind individuals are central to our work.
Our story
Understanding changes everything.
Bridging silence with understanding and action.
A fall evening
in Lewiston.
There was a tragic shooting in Lewiston, Maine.
It was a fall evening, and a community of Deaf and DeafBlind individuals had come together for their monthly gathering — a cornhole tournament at Schemengees Bar & Grille — when, all of a sudden, gunshots were fired. The evening left four Deaf individuals killed.
What followed was pure chaos. Among those killed was an American Sign Language interpreter, and the Deaf and DeafBlind individuals at the scene were left in confusion, unable to interact with the first responders around them or get help in any other way.
The people who needed to be understood most were the least able to be heard.
After that night,
we created FRnD.
That evening made one thing undeniable: in an emergency, the gap between Deaf and DeafBlind individuals and first responders is not a small one. First Responders and Deaf (FRnD) was created to close it.
Founders Raj and Riya set out to bridge that communication gap before the next emergency, not after it. Working alongside first responder and community advisors, FRnD developed an Emergency Communication Card, a free online training video, and a certified Emergency Medical Services (EMS) course.
Our work promotes equal access to safety and healthcare, fostering dignity, inclusion, and understanding across the United States.
Meet the people behind FRnDPractical and accessible
Clear visual tools help make communication easier in stressful moments.
Safety for everyone
Every person deserves dignity, understanding, and equal access to emergency care.