Until next time!

Debbie Jackson
Planner

On March 16, 2011, the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) Emergency Access Advisory Committee (EAAC) released a national online survey to determine the most effective and efficient technologies and methods by which persons with disabilities may access Next Generation (NG) 9-1-1 emergency services systems.  Among other things, the survey asks about accessing emergency services via video, text, and voice.  The results of the survey will inform the EAAC as it develops recommendations for the FCC to draft rules to ensure that people with disabilities can access NG 9-1-1 services.  The survey is available in English, Spanish and American Sign Language (ASL) video).

This survey will be available until April 24, 2011.  We encourage people with disabilities to complete this survey, and share information about the survey with other people with disabilities and organizations that represent persons with disabilities.

Link to the survey in English and ASL:
http://fcc.eaac.sgizmo.com/s3

Link to the survey in Spanish:
http://fcc.eaac-es.sgizmo.com/s3

News Release regarding EAAC Survey is available in the following formats:
http://www.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_Business/2011/db0316/DOC-305233A1.doc
http://www.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_Business/2011/db0316/DOC-305233A1.pdf
http://www.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_Business/2011/db0316/DOC-305233A1.txt

This information was provided by Marcie Roth, Director of the Disability Integration and Coordination Office at FEMA. 

  

The Pacific Rim (PacRim) 2011 Conference is hosting an Emergency Preparedness strand on April 18, 2011. The strand is called "Real People - Real Planning: Building Resilient Communities during Emergencies."

The strand will feature the following speakers:

• Marcie Roth, Director of Integration and Coordination, at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA);
• Carol Risley, Executive Director at the California State Council on Developmental Disabilities;
• Mark Starford, Director of the Board Resource Center in California;
• Tammy Evrard, Consultant and facilitator for the "Feeling Safe, Being Safe" emergency preparedness training;
• Julie Kenney, Executive Director of IPSH, Inc. "Being Prepared: MN Emergency Preparedness Center" and parent of an individual with a disability; and
• Debbie Jackson, Planner/ADA Coordinator at the Disability and Communication Access Board facilitating a panel of individuals with disabilities discussing accessibility needs during a disaster.

The strand costs $120 and includes lunch. If you have any questions about registration or the emergency preparedness strand at the PacRim Conference, contact Dawn Skaggs at bskaggs@hawaii.edu or call (808) 956-4126.

The August 2010 Issue 11 of the E-News contained an article about the new tsunami evacuation zone maps being developed for the City and County of Honolulu. The Department of Emergency Management completed a full revision of the Oahu tsunami evacuation zone maps at the end of October 2010. This was the first revision since 1991.

DCAB has asked several individuals who are blind to test the new maps and comment to the Department of Emergency Management about the accessibility of the maps. That phase is still in progress. We will update you regarding the accessibility status of the evacuation maps. If you visit the site and visit the site and would like to provide comments to the City and County about the maps you can send an e-mail to tsunamiready@honolulu.gov or call the office during business hours Monday through Friday at 723-8960.

According to the Department of Emergency Management, the City and County of Honolulu was the first county to update evacuation zone maps. The Counties of Hawaii and Maui are currently working on their map revisions, and the County of Kauai will be the last county to complete their map revisions. For more information about the status of updating your County maps, contact your local Civil Defense agency.

County of Hawaii     935-0031

County of Maui       270-7285

County of Kauai      241-1800

  

On March 11, 2011, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the National Disability Rights Network (NDRN) signed a memorandum of agreement that further strengthens their growing partnership to ensure that the access and functional needs of people with disabilities are incorporated into all aspects of planning for, responding to and recovering from disasters. The signing was hosted by the White House, and was attended by advocates from the disability and emergency management community, including disaster survivors, as well as national security advisors for President Obama.

In the past, FEMA and the NDRN have coordinated efforts, and this agreement strengthens their relationship to ensure that people with disabilities, young children, seniors, and all members of the community are fully integrated into emergency planning efforts. This agreement specifically will ensure that advocates for the NDRN's 57 state and territory affiliates have access to FEMA disaster response offices, including workspace and logistical support, before, during and after a disaster, to be involved in policy decisions and coordinate directly with the entire emergency management team. This partnership will help leverage resources of the entire community to better meet the needs of the entire population impacted by a disaster.

Improving how FEMA plans for and incorporates the needs of people with disabilities into all aspects of disaster operations has been a priority for the Obama administration and FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate. In 2010, Administrator Fugate established the Office of Disability Integration and Coordination within FEMA to focus on this goal. In July 2010, FEMA signed a memorandum of agreement with 450 independent living centers across the country to access FEMA disaster recovery centers in order to assist individuals with disabilities impacted by disasters. Then in September 2010, FEMA hosted the first "Getting Real" conference that brought together stakeholders from the disability and emergency management communities nationally to discuss how to develop improved partnerships to integrate the needs of people with disabilities into emergency planning. Hawaii had two representatives from the State attend that conference. And in November 2010, FEMA announced new guidelines, the Functional Needs Support Services Guidance, on general population emergency sheltering for people with access and functional needs.

For more information about FEMA, visit their website.