Songs for Sound teams up with the JB Andrews Air Show to Screen & Protect Your EARS at Joint Base Andrews' Spectacular Event!

    NASHVILLE, TN, September 13, 2017 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Songs for Sound, a Nashville- based charity that strives to protect and restore hearing for the 360 million people worldwide suffering from hearing loss, will be providing FREE hearing protection and FREE hearing screenings at the JB Andrews Air Show this weekend!

The Hear the Music Project operates a mobile hearing health clinic sponsored by Phonak (global leader in hearing technology), the Memorial Foundation, and Cochlear Americas (global leader in cochlear implants and other implantable hearing solutions). The clinic travels the nation conducting free hearing screenings on the donated OtoKiosk virtual screening software. While educating the public on the risks of noise-induced hearing loss, handing out free hearing protection, Songs for Sound has an even greater mission...helping everyone navigate hearing healthcare.

Founder, Jaime Vernon, is passionate about helping people HEAR. When her daughter, Lexi's, deafness was overlooked as a young child; while she and her husband were begging for answers, Jaime's heart began to break for people living with hearing loss. Lexi was eventually diagnosed due to Vernon's persistence for answers and now Lexi, 9 years old, lives an amazing life full of sound through cochlear implants. However, after Lexi's hearing was restored through Cochlear Americas cochlear implants, Vernon constantly asked herself "what is happening to children in rural areas, or when parents are simply struggling to keep food on the table? What about our parents and grandparents who are unsafe if they can't hear? What about our Veterans who return to families and they can't hear clearly to perform at their job or to heal?"

Untreated hearing loss can lead to devastating outcomes in both children and adults. Even a mild hearing loss in a child can allow the child to miss up to 40% of classroom instruction. Job loss and cognitive function decline plagues adults with hearing loss.

Vernon knew Lexi's amazing story of restoration and recovery could change the world. Songs for Sound has five programs including The Hear the Music Project, a hearing clinic which hosts on average 260 FREE events a year across the U.S.A. and has provided over 12,000 people with free hearing screenings, over 20,000 pieces of hearing protection. Most importantly, this mission connects anyone struggling to local care. SFS provides information on the best technologies, clinics and even insurance support! Vernon calls SFS a "triage for hearing services". Even Vernon herself will get on the phone with anyone in crisis and walk them through services, but most importantly, she will LISTEN and give them LOVE; what she refers to as "her greatest calling."

People often ask if air shows are too loud for small children. The truth is, air shows pose a risk for everybody. Maximum decibel (dB) levels for air show spectators measure between 100-150 dB. Prolonged exposure to any sound over 85 dB can damage the sensitive structures of the inner ear and any more than 15 minutes at 115 dB is dangerous (effects are heightened in children). The problem is, most people underestimate the threat of loud noise. For reference, here are the average dB levels and recommended exposure for some familiar sounds:

30 dB
Whisper
No limit

60 dB
Normal conversation
No limit

90 dB
City traffic, lawn mower
8 hr. per day max.

100 dB
Chainsaw, motorcycle
2 hr. per day max.

115 dB
Loud concert, car horn
15 min. per day max.

140 dB
Firearm, jet engine, fireworks
Hearing protection required

About Songs for Sound
Songs for Sound is a Nashville based 501c3 charity that strives to protect and restore hearing, using music as inspiration and outreach, to improve the lives of the 360 million people suffering from hearing loss. The #HEARtheMUSIC Project 2016-2017 Tour aims to reach 50,000 ears across the nation.

Sponsorships are available by contacting [email protected].

For additional information on Songs For Sound visit www.songsforsound.com.

To book Jaime Vernon for speaking engagements, please email [email protected]

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