Disability and Communication Access Board
State of Hawaii
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Emergency Preparedness E-News
for Individuals with Disabilities and Special Health Needs
July 2010 Issue 10
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| Greetings!
I hope your summer is going well and that by now you have your emergency readiness kit prepared and stored in an easy to find location at home! June was a very busy month with many activities and workshops available to people to assist them in preparing for an emergency and evacuation, if one occurs.
So far, the Emergency Preparedness E-News has been easy to prepare with a combination of individuals submitting information to DCAB for it, or from articles found in other publications. We hope the information provided has been useful to each of you in preparing for an emergency.
Thank you to those who sent me information for this issue. Keep the information coming so we can present you with the most current information possible. Please e-mail items to me at debbra.jackson@doh.hawaii.gov. Your feedback and comments are also appreciated!
Aloha,
Debbie Jackson
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| Help Run a Pet Disaster Shelter
Blaze & Kiwi wait out disaster in pet-friendly emergency shelter | The [Hawaiian] Humane Society needs volunteers to run pet-friendly shelters in your community in the event of a disaster. Call (808) 356-2216 to join the next training session on July 10 or August 14.
In April the Humane Society hosted a documentary film presentation of Mine, which shared the complex and often heartbreaking issues involving owners and their struggle to be reunited with their pets after Hurricane Katrina hit the Golf Coast. Mine is available on Oceanic's digital cable pay-per-view.
Some important facts to know: 150,000 pets died as a result of Katrina because people were not allowed to take their pets into shelters and most hotels refused them. There were many cases in which people who were airlifted from roofs were given a choice by rescuers to either leave their pet behind or stay behind themselves.
More than 10,000 people refused evacuation because they wouldn't leave their pets behind. As many as half of human deaths in New Orleans were those who stayed behind with their animal companions.
With your help, we can ensure that something lie this never happens in our community.
Article from the Hawaiian Humane Society Newsletter, June-August 2010 issue.
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| FEMA Appointments to National Advisory Council
 The Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced in February 2010 that there was a search for new appointments to serve on the National Advisory Council (NAC) for a three-year term. FEMA was looking for professionals in: Emergency Management, Public Health, Emergnecy Medical Provider, Standard Settings, Disability, Access and Functional Needs, State Non-Elected Official and Tribal Non-Elected Official.
In accordance with the Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act of 2006, the NAC was established. Membership may consist of up to 35 members appointed by and serving at the discretion of the FEMA Administrator. The council makes recommendations to the FEMA Administrator on the National Response Framework, the National Incident Management System, the Stafford Act, the National Disaster Housing Strategy, and on disability and private sector issues.
After extensive review of all the outstanding nominations and applications, three candidates were reappointed and nine were newly selected to serve on the council until June 15, 2013. The new appointments are: Mark Cooper (LA)-Executive Director of the Governor's Homeland Security & Emergency Preparedness (Emergency Management), Paul Biedrzycski (WI)-Director of Disease Control & Environmental Health (Public Health), Conrad Kearns (FL)-Vice President & Chief Operating Officer for Community Emergency Medical Services (Emergency Medical Provider), June Kailes (CA)-Disability Policy Consultant for the Center for Disability and Health Policy, Western University Health Services (Special Needs), David Miller (IA)-Administrator for Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management Division (State Non-Elected Official), Elizabeth Armstrong (VA)-Executive Director of International Association of Emergency Managers (Standards Setting), Adora Obi Nweze (FL)-President of the Florida State Conference, NAACP (FEMA Administrator Selections), Christine Wormuth (VA)-Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Homeland Defense and Americas' Security Affairs, U.S. Department of Defense (Ex Officio),and Kevin Yeskey (MD)-Deputy Assistant Secretary & Director of Office of Preparedness and Emergency Operations, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (Ex Officio). Reappointments are: Charles Kmet (AZ)-Emergency Management Administrator for Tohono O'oDham, Department of Public Safety (Tribal Non-Elected Official), Nancy Dragani (OH)-Executive Director of the Ohio Emergency Management Agency (FEMA Administrator Selection), and Teresa Scott (FL)-Director of Public Works for the City of Gainesville. For more information on the NAC, including a complete list of current FEMA National Advisory Council members, visit the web site at: www.fema.gov/about/nac/. Information made available by FEMA's Office of Disability Integration and Coordination on June 16, 2010. |
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Emergency Notification System (ENS) for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Community  Beginning on July 1, 2008, the Emergency Notification System (ENS) was the first statewide program in the nation developed for the Deaf and hard of hearing community in the State of Hawaii. The ENS offers a text notification system that allows Hawaii residents to receive emergency alert messages related to a natural disaster on any wireless device. The ENS is a free service, provided by Sprint Relay, as regulated by the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission. Hawaii State Civil Defense uses the ENS to send alert messages during a natural disaster, such as the recent tsunami this past February.
To qualify for the ENS program you must be a resident in Hawaii; have proof of a hearing loss or communication disorder certified by a doctor; and have a wireless device on any carrier (AT&T, Mobi, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon). To register for the program to receive emergency alert messages, obtain an application form Sprint Relay and return it to Sprint in person, by fax or mail. On the application form you can select the geographic area for which you wish to receive emergency alerts (Counties of Hawaii, Kauai, Maui or the City & County of Honolulu). Once you have registered to receive emergency alert messages, you are responsible to notify the Relay Program Manager of any changes to zip code, mobile number, e-mail address, wireless carrier, mobile phone model, or if you have moved away from Hawaii. For more information or an application form, contact LisaAnn Tom, Relay Program Manager at lisa.l.tom@sprint.com or leave a voice message at 1-800-357-5168. |
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Contact Information
Disability and Communication Access Board
919 Ala Moana Blvd., Room 101
Honolulu, HI 96814
Phone: (808) 586-8121 (V/TTY)
Fax: (808) 586-8129
E-mail: DCAB General Delivery
Web site: DCAB Home Page County of Hawaii: 974-4000, ext. 6-8121# Couny of Kauai: 274-3141, ext. 6-8121# County of Maui: 984-2400, ext. 6-8121# Molokai & Lanai: 1-800-468-4644 , ext. 6-8121# |
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