Louisiana State Representative Steve Pugh to Drive Awareness for Hamilton Relay Captioned Telephone and Telecommunications Relay Services

AURORA, Neb., Feb. 8, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Hamilton Relay, service provider for Louisiana Relay, today announced that State Representative Steve Pugh of Louisiana will promote the free Captioned Telephone (CapTel®) and Telecommunications Relay Services provided by Hamilton Relay throughout his district and eventually throughout the state. Pugh works closely with the Ponchatoula Council on Aging in Louisiana and wants to ensure that all Louisianans who are deaf, hard of hearing, deaf-blind or have difficulty speaking are aware that access to these services is available to everyone in the state and they are easy to use.

"I have been working with senior citizens for 40 years and it is important for those individuals who experience hearing loss later in life, to maintain their independence," said State Representative Steve Pugh, District 73. "Relay services have been available in Louisiana for many years and CapTel was recently introduced in August of 2009. I plan to promote relay and CapTel services statewide throughout 2011 because the concept is remarkable and it is a win-win situation for the constituents of our state. I am passionately involved with the Ponchatoula Council of Aging and look forward to participating in local events in the coming months."

Telecommunications relay service is free, easy-to-use, and connects individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, deaf-blind or have difficulty speaking with people who use standard telephones. Hamilton CapTel, a division of Hamilton Relay, also provides captioned telephone services in Louisiana, which is similar to closed captioning on TV. Individuals can listen and read what the other person on the telephone is saying on a large, bright screen attached to the phone. Captions are available in English or Spanish. Hamilton CapTel also provides mobile CapTel services that are available on a variety of platforms.

State Representative Pugh recently conducted a speaking engagement at the Ponchatoula Council of Aging, a division of the Tangipahoa Parish Council of Aging, to advocate Louisiana's relay and CapTel services. Representatives from Hamilton Relay were in attendance and provided a demonstration of how these services can improve telephone communication for individuals with hearing loss.

"We are thrilled to have State Representative Pugh onboard to assist in the promotion of these important services," said Dixie Ziegler, vice president of Hamilton Relay.  "State Representative Pugh is an insightful ambassador helping to spread the word and emphasize the importance of such services to individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, deaf-blind or have difficulty speaking on the telephone."

About Hamilton Relay

Hamilton Relay offers a variety of services including Traditional Relay Service, Captioned Telephone and Internet Relay services. Hamilton provides Traditional Relay and/or Captioned Telephone services to 18 states, the District of Columbia, the Island of Saipan and the Virgin Islands. More information is available at www.hamiltonrelay.com.

CapTel is a registered trademark of Ultratec, Inc.

SOURCE Hamilton Relay