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State of Hawaii
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Emergency Preparedness E-News
for People with Disabilities and other Access and Functional Needs
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Recent Activities
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Greetings!
The Disability and Communication Access Board (DCAB) has had staff busy with several emergency preparedness activities during the past two (2) months.
DCAB is a member of a tri-agency group formed called the Hawaii State Mass Care Council (HSMCC) established in 2013. The agencies co-convening this group are Hawaii State Civil Defense, American Red Cross Hawaii Chapter, and the City and County of Honolulu's Department of Emergency Management. The group's mission is to bring organizations and people together to explore known deficiencies and address specific issues. Through these discussions, the working groups will provide strategies to each county to incorporate into their mass care plans. Agency representatives network and explore options in six (6) working groups, and develop strategies related to sheltering and mass care during an emergency. It is hoped that the HSMCC will provide a framework for solutions to be implemented on a statewide level.
DCAB also participated in the 2013 PacRim Conference at the end of April. The staff attended workshops, participated in Conversation Central (agency exhibits related to emergency preparedness and people with disabilities discussing issues with emergency managers), and was a panel member speaking about the People with Disabilities and Other Access and Functional Needs and emergency preparedness.
A final project DCAB is sponsoring is a training in each county for volunteers about how to conduct a site review of evacuation shelters for accessibility. Dates for the training are in July. For more information, contact DCAB at (808) 586-8121 or e-mail dcab@hawaii.gov. Aloha, Debbie Jackson
Planner
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 Hurricane Exercise Volunteers |  Planning for Makani Pahili, the annual hurricane exercise, is well underway. Hopefully, you read last month's article asking for volunteers to go to evacuation shelters. If you missed it, the Oahu exercise is scheduled for Saturday, June 1, 2013, and we would greatly appreciate it if you could come and assist us and provide feedback to help improve evacuation shelter services for the whole community.
For the exercise, the three (3) sites on Oahu that shelters will be open are Waialua Intermediate and High School, Nanakuli High School and Halawa District Park. During the exercise, the sites will be manned and opened as if there were an actual emergency and people need to evacuate from their homes. Because this is an exercise, various activities are planned along with the process to check into the shelter. DCAB is asking for people with different types of disabilities to volunteer to go to the shelters and activities.
If you are in another county and would like information about volunteering at a hurricane exercise, contact the Civil Defense Agency in your area at: - County of Hawaii - 935-0031
- County of Kauai - 241-1800
- County of Maui - 270-7285
To volunteer for the Oahu exercise, contact Debbie Jackson at (808) 586-8121 or e-mail her at debbra.jackson@doh.hawaii.gov and let her know which site you will go to. To prepare for the day, you need to bring your go-kit with you and your lunch and water. The exercise is to act like you are going to an emergency evacuation site and you are bringing your kit and food with you. When you get to the site, you check in as if you were actually entering the shelter. There will be exercise activities within the shelter for the morning. Arrival time is 8:45 AM and end time is 12:30 PM.
Thank you for being willing to assist the counties in preparing for evacuation shelters and providing appropriate services to people with disabilities and other access and functional needs. |
| Text-to-911 |  Background
You may have seen reports about a recent action taken by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regarding "text-to-911" and wondered if it is possible in an emergency to reach 911 by text message. Text-to-911 - the ability to send a text message to 911 from your mobile phone or handheld device - is generally not available today. It will become increasingly available during 2013, however. Three Facts You Need to Know Now - In an emergency, always make a voice call to 911 if possible.
- In most cases, you cannot today reach 911 by sending a text message.
- In the future, you may be able to send text messages to 911 - but you should still make a voice call if you can.
For some consumers, text-to-911 will be invaluable when it becomes available. It can be a life-saving option for those who are unable to make a voice call due to a hearing or speech disability, or because a voice call to 911 would place them in danger. In addition, a text message may be the most reliable means of communication during major disasters, where voice calls cannot be completed due to network capacity constraints. Text-to-911 will also help first responders keep pace with how consumers communicate today. This capability will only apply to text messages (for example, short message service, or SMS), however, and will not include e-mails or instant messages. In addition, the FCC's action does not prevent people who have hearing or speech disabilities from continuing to use a TTY (also known as a text telephone or TDD) or relay to call 911. More Details - In an emergency, always make a voice call to 911 if possible. An emergency is any situation that requires immediate assistance from the police, fire department, or an ambulance. If you have a hearing or speech disability and are unable to make a voice call: continue to use either a telecommunications relay service (including a video relay service) or your TTY to call 911 for now. For more information on how to contact 911, visit: www.fcc.gov/guides/emergency-communications.
- In most cases, you cannot yet reach 911 by sending a text message. Today's 911 system is not designed to support emergency text messages, except in a few areas where limited text-to-911 trials are underway. Some wireless carriers have announced plans to support text-to-911 starting in 2013, and some 911 centers may begin to accept text messages in addition to voice calls. But the availability of text-to-911 will depend on your location and other factors, so you should check with your carrier on whether text-to-911 is available in your area. In an emergency, you should not attempt to communicate with 911 by text if you have not confirmed that the capability is available in your area.
- In the future, you may be able to send text messages to 911 - but you should still make a voice call if possible. By making a voice call to 911, you will be able to answer the call-taker's questions immediately - which is important for getting help quickly. In addition, calls to 911 may automatically transmit to the call-taker more precise information about your location than a text message. But when a voice call is not possible, text-to-911 can be a life-saving alternative.
FCC online article published on January 22, 2013. |
AFN-Tips
|  The Center on Disability Studies (CDS) at the University of Hawaii at Manoa announces the release of AFN-Tips - Access and Functional Needs Tips for First Responders, a new mobile website and free app designed for first responders, and helping professions. AFN-Tips is available for IOS and android smartphones, and tablets; and the mobile website can be accessed at www.cds.hawaii.edu/tips. AFN-Tips provides essential, detailed instructions and resources on interacting with and assisting people with disabilities or other access and functional needs.
AFN-Tips contains a rich resource of information on autism, blindness or visual impairments, chemical sensitivities, childbearing and newborns, cognitive disabilities, deaf and hard of hearing, seizure disorders, mobility impairments, mental illness, service animals and seniors; and includes descriptions, instructions, and real life applications. AFN-Tips includes contact information for local resources that may provide additional assistance or information, and an extensive directory of local, state and national resources searchable by agency name, topic area or key word.
In addition, AFN-Tips goes further to bridge the communication gap between individuals with a disability and potential first responders through the inclusion of emergency management and disability acronym guides.
CDS worked collaboratively with the Hawaii State Disability and Communication Access Board, Honolulu City and County Department of Emergency Management and the Hawaii Chapter of the American Red Cross to create AFN-Tips.
Individuals with a disability who demonstrate the features of the tool and provide a face-to-face question and answer opportunity are sharing AFN-Tips with First Responders in Hawaii through short introductory trainings. For more information or to schedule a trainer to attend your training please contact Dawn Skaggs at bskaggs@hawaii.edu.
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Tsunami Preparedness Workshop | 
The West Hawaii Today published an article announcing a Tsunami Preparedness Workshop on May 21, 2013.
The Pacific Tsunami Museum, Hilo Downtown Improvement Association and the Hilo Improvement Program are offering a Tsunami Preparedness workshop for businesses and the community from 5:00 - 7:00 PM. Speakers will include Gerard Fryer of the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, Stafford Oyama of the Downtown Improvement Association, and Bill Hanson of the County of Hawaii's Civil Defense Agency.
The workshop will provide information and tools for business owners to protect employees and customers. Everyone will learn to protect irreplaceable assets and better prepare for the next tsunami warning.
Seating is limited and registration is required by May 10, 2013. There is no cost to Downtown Improvement Association members. Others may register and pay a $5.00 registration fee. For more information or to register, call 935-8850 or e-mail hiloimprovementprogram@gmail.com.
Excerpted from West Hawaii Today, May 2, 2013
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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 Website: DCAB Home PageCounty of Hawaii: (808) 974-4000, ext. 6-8121# County of Kauai: (808) 274-3141, ext. 6-8121# County of Maui: (808) 984-2400, ext. 6-8121# Molokai & Lanai: 1-800-468-4644, ext. 6-8121#
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