Illinois Disability Rights Consortium meeting - Dec 6th - focus on intersection of disability and emergency preparedness

The next Illinois Disability Rights Consortium meeting will take place on Wednesday December 6, 2017 from 9:30-11:00 (ct) at Equip for Equality (20 N. Michigan, Suite 300 in Chicago).

Given the numerous recent weather and gun-related emergencies, we thought having a session on the intersection of disability and emergency preparedness would be timely. I will start the session by reviewing how the ADA has been used to ensure that people with disabilities are included in emergency preparedness plans by municipalities and schools. And then Laurie Dittman, Senior Policy Analyst for the Chicago Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities, will provide an update on the work of the City of Chicago on emergency preparedness and people with disabilities.

Continuing legal education credit will be provided for attorneys in attendance. A captioner will be present for the meeting. If you need any other accommodations to participate in the meeting, please email by November 29.

To participate remotely, you can call: 800-910-8278 and then enter code: 1940990.

"Innovative Ideas for Ensuring Your Emergency Operations Plans Are Inclusive for the Whole Community" Webinar Nov. 9th, 2017

Ensuring your Emergency Operations Plans are inclusive of the whole community can come with challenges. In this presentation, we will explore innovative, efficient, and effective tools that will guide an agency to meet ADA requirements for emergency preparedness, response, and recovery efforts. Resources will be shared that will assist plans with compliance, while building comprehensive and collaborative partnerships in communities to enhance emergency plans.

Learning objectives:

• Raise awareness of what an agency needs to do to ensure that emergency operations are in compliance.
• Raise confidence in bringing the appropriate agencies to the table to help build inclusive plans.
• Learn the resource tools needed to comply with ADA regulations for emergency plans.

Webinars begin at 2.30pm ET/1.30pm CT/12.30 pm MT/11.30am PT/8.30am Hawaii.
Registration: Free on-line at http://www.adapresentations.org/registration.php
Registration closes at midnight, November 8th, 2017.

Presenter:

Kathy Gerk served as the Emergency Services Manager for the City of Richmond Fire Department Office of Emergency Services for 28 years. Ms. Gerk developed and implemented the REACT (Richmond Emergency Action Community Teams) in 1995. This program was developed from the FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) program, and then customized to meet Richmond's specialized needs and threats adding hazardous materials awareness, shelter-in-place instructions, as well as a communications component. The REACT program was groundbreaking, as training was implemented at Richmond High School. The program was awarded the Helen Putnam Award of Excellence for five consecutive years beginning in 1997.

Kathy has served on numerous committees across the city, county, state and nation including Chair of the IAEM (International Association of Emergency Managers) Access and Inclusion Caucus, Chair of the California Governors CERT Advisory Work Group, Chair of Contra Costa County Cities Citizens Corps/CERT Committee, Chair of City of Richmond PWD/E (People with Disabilities/Elderly) Work Group, among several others. She was instrumental in developing the C8 (Contra Costa County Cities Citizens Corps CERT Committee) promoting partnership efforts between emergency services agencies and the communities they serve. She has received numerous awards including FEMA's 2009 Honorable Mention for National Citizens Corps Achievement Award Celebrating Resilient Communities - one of five in the nation.

These 90 minute webinars are delivered using the Blackboard Collaborate webinar platform. Collaborate downloads files to your device in order to run. We recommend that you prepare your technology prior to the start of the session. You may need the assistance of your IT Staff if firewalls prevent you from downloading files.

To view upcoming sessions, go to http://www.adapresentations.org/schedule.php
To see previous sessions, go to http://www.adapresentations.org/archive.php

The information presented in this webinar is intended solely as informal guidance, and is neither a determination of legal rights or responsibilities by NIDILRR or FEMA.

source: Pacific ADA Center

ADA National Network Webinar Oct 12th: How Functional Assessment Service Teams (FAST) Are Being Implemented

"ADA National Network Learning Session:How Functional Assessment Service Teams (FAST) are being implemented in 3 states"

October 12th, 2017

Registration: Free on-line at 

http://www.adapresentations.org/registration.php               

Registration closes at midnight, October 11th, 2017.

Webinars begin at 2.30pm ET/1.30pm CT/12.30 pm MT/11.30am PT/8.30am Hawaii.

When people are displaced from their homes during a disaster and find it necessary to stay in a community shelter, it is essential that community officials, responders, and shelter managers are prepared to provide service and reasonable accommodations to all shelter residents, including those with access and functional needs. A Functional Assessment Service Team (FAST) can help people get what they need to safely stay in a community shelter and to assist them to return home as soon as possible. The webinar will help you learn more about FAST as one possible resource in whole community planning and response. The webinar will provide background as to what is FAST, why it might work in your community or state; and the future of FAST across the nation. California, Washington and Wisconsin will their share their experiences from their FAST journey.

Learning objectives:

• Understand the original intent of FAST, and the past and future of FAST.
• Learn about the changes being made to support the expansion of FAST.
• Learn how FAST operates in the three states.

Presenters:

• June Isaacson Kailes -  operates a Disability Policy Consulting practice. June's consulting and publications focus on building disability actionable competencies in the worlds of health care and emergency management to insure people with disabilities and others with access and functional needs are integrated and included in service delivery processes, procedures, protocols, policies and training. She originally conceived the concept of FAST and worked with California and other government entities on developing their Teams.
• Jan Devore - works for the Wisconsin Department of Health Services and has held a variety of jobs within numerous program areas for 20 years. All positions have involved people with disabilities and others with access and functional needs. During the past five years, Jan has focused on emergency planning and response within the Public Health Preparedness program, focusing on the planning and response capabilities of human services at all levels. Jan is the state Functional Assessment Service Team (FAST) Coordinator and a member of the FAST core training team.
• Nicole Johnson - is the Access and Functional Needs Coordinator in the Preparedness Division at Pierce County Department of Emergency Management. In this capacity, Nicole coordinates the inclusion of people with disabilities and others with access and functional needs into all phases of emergency management. Nicole has been involved with the FAST program in Pierce County since its inception in 2012. Nicole became the FAST program coordinator in 2015.
• Tarah Heller - is a Senior Emergency Coordinator, Mass Care Representative for the State of California Department of Social Services (CDSS), Disaster Services Bureau (DSB). Tarah is the lead for the Functional Assessment Services Team (FAST) program. She is responsible for planning, training both state and county representatives, deployment, and recruitment of FAST. In the past year Tarah has led 4 trainings classes and is currently overseeing the new online courses being offered for FAST Recertification and Shelter Operations Training. Tarah deploys as a FAST lead and Mass Care Representative for CDSS DSB during disasters. She deployed in the field for the Erskine, Lake, and San Bernardino Fires and to the Orville Dam Auxiliary Spillway Incident.

These 90 minute webinars are delivered using the Blackboard Collaborate webinar platform. Collaborate downloads files to your device in order to run. We recommend that you prepare your technology prior to the start of the session. You may need the assistance of your IT Staff if firewalls prevent you from downloading files.

To view upcoming sessions, go to http://www.adapresentations.org/schedule.php
To see previous sessions, go to http://www.adapresentations.org/archive.php

The information presented in this webinar is intended solely as informal guidance, and is neither a determination of legal rights or responsibilities by NIDILRR or FEMA.

Copyright © 2017 Pacific ADA Center, All rights reserved.

Webinar July 13th - "ADA National Network Learning Session: Emergency Planning for Institutional Facilities"

The International Building Code and International Fire Code have unique emergency criteria for assisted living facilities, nursing homes, hospitals and jails. In these types of facilities there may be legitimate reasons where the typical fire emergency plan to send everyone out using the stairways may not be the best choice considering both the abilities and safety of the residents. This presentation will discuss options for planning, training of staff, practice drills, notification, and evacuation. Criteria for additional protection to be provided by the building construction will also be reviewed.

Webinars begin at 2.30pm ET/1.30pm CT/12.30 pm MT/11.30am PT/9.30am Hawaii.
Registration: Free on-line at http://www.adapresentations.org/registration.php
Registration closes at midnight, July 12th, 2017.

Learning objectives:

• Understand why assisted living facilities, nursing homes, hospitals and jails may not be able to use the standard evacuation systems.
• Identify what plans need to be developed and practiced in these facilities.
• Understand what alternatives there are for notification other than standard audible alarms.
• Identify what building elements are required for compartmentation and smoke protection.

Presenter:

Kimberly Paarlberg is a Senior Staff Architect in Technical Services with the International Code Council (ICC). Her experience with ICC includes work in the plan review and code development departments with responsibilities for code development, plan reviews, providing code interpretations, instructing technical seminars and authoring and reviewing instruction materials, code commentary and publication articles. Kimberly serves as code development secretary for the IBC Means of Egress/Accessibility and ICC Administration committees. She is ICC representative for development of the referenced technical standard, ICC/ANSI A117.1 "Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities." Kimberly is the staff for the ICC Adhoc Health Care Committee.

Before joining ICC, Kimberly worked as a structural engineer and architect. Kim is a licensed architect in Illinois and holds an Accessibility Inspector/Plans Examiner certification.

For more information and resources from the "ADA National Network", visit: https://adata.org/

Webinar for People with Disabilities, May 11th: Clear & Effective Emergency Communications over Wireless Devices

During an emergency, alert and warning officials need to provide the public with life-saving emergency messages that inform those in the impacted area and compel them to take protective actions. Emergency information is not always presented in formats accessible to people with different levels of sensory, cognitive and physical disabilities. Likewise, the devices on which they receive emergency information are not always optimized for use with emergency information tools such as wireless emergency alerts (WEA), subscription-based alerting systems, or local and state apps (e.g. Ready Georgia). This webinar will address composing message content and delivery format features that can enhance the accessibility of the information to people with disabilities. We will also cover smartphone features that can improve the accessibility of emergency messages. The webinar will close with a description and demonstration of an accessible system, Deaf Link's Accessible Hazard Alert System (AHAS).

The next webinar will occur on May 11th, 2017.
Webinars begin at 2.30pm ET/1.30pm CT/12.30 pm MT/11.30am PT/8.30am Hawaii.

Registration: Free on-line at http://www.adapresentations.org/registration.php
Registration closes at midnight, May 10th, 2017

Learning objectives:

• Learn about the use of wireless emergency communications tools by people with disabilities, as well as their expressed needs and preferences.
• Understand the emergency message content tips that improve accessibility, trust, and reliability of emergency information.
• Understand the "How-to's" for subscribing and enabling accessible emergency alerts on Android and iOS devices for people with disabilities.
• Understand the recommendations for trustworthy apps, internet resources, and social media feeds related to accessible emergency alerts
• Expanded understanding of how to effectively alert members of the Deaf community.

Presenters:

Kay Chiodo is a certified ASL interpreter and subject matter expert in accessible communications. She has testified before the FCC and Congress regarding the need for accessible emergency information. She is the CEO of Deaf Link, Inc. a company that leads the nation in the development and implementation of services to support inclusion for people with sensory disabilities in emergency preparedness before, during and after a disaster. In 2005, Deaf Link's Accessible Hazard Alert System (AHAS) sent the nation's first accessible alert (ASL, Voice, Text, Braille accessible) to residents in Houston for Hurricane Rita. Ms. Chiodo has received national recognition and awards for Deaf Link's services including the 2008 COMPUTERWORLD - 21st Century Achievement Award and the 2009 Cleve Allen Award for outstanding support of Emergency Management in the delivery of accessible emergency information and alerts.

Salimah LaForce is a research analyst at the Center for Advanced Communications Policy, the home of the Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center for Wireless Inclusive Technologies (Wireless RERC). She conducts consumer, policy and industry research and serves as project director for the Wireless RERC policy and outreach initiatives. Salimah is editor of the monthly policy newsletter, Technology and Disability Policy Highlights, for more than ten years; and has co-authored more than 65 conference papers, presentations, reports, and federal regulatory filings.

Ben Lippincott is task leader for the Wireless RERC's outreach to consumers with disabilities. Ben has been leading user outreach and working closely to promote industry relations for over 12 years. He is co-editor of the Wireless RERC consumer website and editor of the Re: Wireless electronic newsletter. Ben has been the lead for a nationwide roll-out of a series of consumer education workshops that highlight the accessibility features of smartphones. The workshops are called Wireless Independence Now (WIN) and are produced in collaboration with AT&T.

These 90 minute webinars are delivered using the Blackboard Collaborate webinar platform. Collaborate downloads files to your device in order to run. We recommend that you prepare your technology prior to the start of the session. You may need the assistance of your IT Staff if firewalls prevent you from downloading files.

To view upcoming sessions, go to http://www.adapresentations.org/schedule.php
To see previous sessions, go to http://www.adapresentations.org/archive.php

The information presented in this webinar is intended solely as informal guidance, and is neither a determination of legal rights or responsibilities by NIDILRR or FEMA.

SOURCE: Pacific ADA Center

Webinar March 9th:"Communications Approaches During and After An Emergency" for People Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing

March 9th, 2017

It is well known that people who are deaf or hard of hearing can experience communication issues during emergency announcements. It is also well-known that meetings need communications accommodations for people who are deaf or hard of hearing. In the emergency world, there are crucial meetings that people in the community need to be involved in after an emergency.

• Webinars begin at 2.30pm ET/1.30pm CT/12.30 pm MT/11.30am PT/9.30am Hawaii.
• Registration: Free on-line at http://www.adapresentations.org/registration.php
• Registration closes at midnight, March 8th, 2017

The webinar highlights two efforts to bridge those gaps. First, the Arizona Commission for the Deaf and the Hard of Hearing (ACDHH), along with the Arizona Department of Emergency and Military Affairs (DEMA), Maricopa County Department of Emergency Management (MCDEM), Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management (DFFM), and the American Red Cross-Arizona/New Mexico/El Paso Chapter collaborated to create the "Emergency Response Interpreters Credentialing Program" (ERIC) for ASL Interpreters and CART providers wishing to provide services during emergency and disaster response situations. As a result of this program, trained and qualified interpreters and captioners are available to work in a variety of high-pressure settings, such as evacuation shelters, press conferences, active wildfire camps, and community meetings. The inaugural training for the ERIC program was hosted in November of 2016 and organizers have received overwhelmingly positive feedback. This webinar will discuss the role of each agency in the training and implementation phases of the program, as well as training content and participant requirements.

In the second presentation, the North Carolina Division of Services for the Deaf and the Hard of Hearing (DSDHH) will share its experience in organizing events for Hurricane Matthew survivors who are Deaf, Deaf-Blind and Hard of Hearing with assistance from FEMA and NC Emergency Management Recovery. They will review the obstacles survivors who are Deaf, Deaf-Blind and Hard of Hearing face when they attend local community meetings or events that were provided to public even when communication access (ASL interpreters, CART) are being provided? DSDHH will describe how the event for survivors was set up with FEMA's and NC Emergency Management's participation.

Learning objectives:

• Identify potential gaps in accessibility for Deaf and Hard of Hearing community members during emergency/disaster response.
• Understand the importance of multiple agency partnerships in addressing identified gaps
• Understand the participation and training requirements necessary for professionals providing accessibility during emergency/disaster response
• Strengthen awareness on the importance of having a separate event for disaster survivors who are Deaf, Deaf-Blind and Hard of Hearing in order to meet their needs for more depth access to information that will impact how much they receive during the recovery process.
• Develop tools in organizing an event for disaster survivors who are Deaf, Deaf-Blind and Hard of Hearing.
• Recognize the importance of working collaboratively with FEMA and local emergency responders in the event of a federal disaster declaration.

Presenters:

• Vicki Bond is the Interpreter Outreach and Development Coordinator at the Arizona Commission for the Deaf and the Hard of Hearing, where she provides outreach and education to interpreters and providers working with interpreters throughout the state of Arizona. She helped to create and pilot the ERIC program, ensuring that the training content and support systems created by the team would be sufficient to sustain the professionals providing access during emergency response events in Arizona. Vicki has been an ASL/English interpreter for 13 years, having earned a Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of Arizona in Educational Interpreting, and a Master of Arts degree in Interpretation from Gallaudet University. She holds the NIC Advanced certification, and the State of Arizona Legal A Interpreting License.
• Judy Kioski is the Administrator for the Arizona Emergency Information Network (www.azein.gov), the State's source for real-time emergency bulletins, preparedness information and related resources. This website is a nationwide model for emergency response agency partnerships and social media interaction. Judy has been working in emergency public information and crisis communication since 2003. Over the past 13 years, she has been responsible for coordinating a "single governmental voice" when responding to an emergency that requires state assistance and coordinates the state Joint Information System. She works with state agencies, tribes, counties and volunteer organizations in coordinating public awareness campaigns, emergency messaging and preparedness issues.
• Donna Platt is Emergency Preparedness Coordinator with North Carolina Division of Services for the Deaf and the Hard of Hearing. She has over 17-year experience providing support, training, and consultation to 9-1-1 telecommunicators and emergency responders on effective communication access to Deaf, Deaf-Blind and Hard of Hearing individuals in Washington State and North Carolina as well as education and resources on 9-1-1, emergency notification and preparedness to those consumers. Donna was one of four co-organizers in coordinating Disaster Preparedness Skills Building Training for Deaf, Deaf-Blind and Hard of Hearing in Seattle for two years. She was one of subject expert matters for the development of Telecommunications for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Inc.'s Community Emergency Preparedness Information Network (CEPIN) training manual for both emergency responders and community members who were Deaf, Deaf-Blind and Hard of Hearing. She is currently NENA Accessibility Committee Co-Chair to ensure that 9-1-1 technologies and services are communication accessible for individuals with disabilities when calling 911 directly. Donna has served on three national committees; National Association for the Deaf's Emergency Communication Subcommittee, FCC Emergency Access Advisory Committee, and Preparedness and Emergency Response Research Center National Advisory Committee-University of California-Berkeley.

These 90 minute webinars are delivered using the Blackboard Collaborate webinar platform. Collaborate downloads files to your device in order to run. We recommend that you prepare your technology prior to the start of the session. You may need the assistance of your IT Staff if firewalls prevent you from downloading files.

To view upcoming sessions, go to http://www.adapresentations.org/schedule.php

To see previous sessions, go to http://www.adapresentations.org/archive.php

The information presented in this webinar is intended solely as informal guidance, and is neither a determination of legal rights or responsibilities by NIDILRR or FEMA.

SOURCE: Press Release

Webinar Feb 9th: Engaging Emergency Management Leadership to be Champions of Disability Integration and Inclusive Planning

The Commonwealth of Virginia has learned that a whole community approach to emergency management requires leadership that promotes and champions inclusive emergency planning and disability integration. When leadership is not convinced of the necessity of whole community planning, inclusive planning, policy changes, and disability integration is extremely challenging. However, when leadership becomes champions of whole community emergency management, amazing results can be achieved. This webinar will review how the Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM) achieved an engaged, supportive leadership VDEM has achieved great and the resulting successes in whole community emergency management that engagement provided.

February 9th, 2017

Webinars begin at 2.30pm ET/1.30pm CT/12.30 pm MT/11.30am PT/9.30am Hawaii.

Registration: Free on-line at http://www.adapresentations.org/registration.php

Come hear this webinar covering some of the most significant results of Virginia's leading from the top approach including:

• Creation of the Access and Functional Needs Advisory Committee
• Functional and Access Needs Network
• Disability Partner calls during emergency response operations and recovery
• Establishment of Functional and Access Needs Support Teams volunteer programs in partnership with the Medical Reserve Corps
• Ensuring accessibility of shelters and the sheltering program was written in to the job description of the new State Sheltering Coordinator position
• Including access and functional needs considerations in the development of the new statewide sheltering strategy
• Including a certified ADA Coordinator in review of the Commonwealth of Virginia Emergency Operations Plan and Annexes

Learning objectives:

• Learn how leadership can move disability inclusion and integration forward.
• Learn how to turn leadership into champions of change for disability inclusion and integration.
• Learn how state emergency management agencies can lead from the top down with local agencies
• Learn what leadership needs to be involved and why.
• Learn about what Virginia is doing to ensure equal access to their emergency programs and planning.

Presenters:

Dawn Brantley is the Sheltering Coordinator and Acting Director of External Affairs for the Virginia Department of Emergency Management where her responsibilities include developing a comprehensive, state-wide strategic approach for sheltering operations and ensuring sheltering programs are accessible to everyone. Ms. Brantley previously served as Regional Inclusive Emergency Planner for the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission and as Emergency Programs Manager for the Office of Emergency Management in Anchorage, Alaska. She has also served as a Disability Integration Advisor in FEMA's Reservist program and is a certified ADA Coordinator.

These 90 minute webinars are delivered using the Blackboard Collaborate webinar platform. Collaborate downloads files to your machine in order to run. We recommend that you prepare your technology prior to the start of the session. You may need the assistance of your IT Staff if firewalls prevent you from downloading files.

To view all of the sessions for the coming year, or to see previous sessions, go to http://www.adapresentations.org/schedule.php

The information presented in this webinar is intended solely as informal guidance, and is neither a determination of legal rights or responsibilities by NIDILRR or FEMA.

Webinar Jan. 12th - "Including Disability: Emergency Services for Active "Shooter" Awareness Guidance

On December 2, 2015, terrorists attacked the Inland Regional Center in San Bernardino, California. Because the center serves individuals with intellectual disabilities, initial reports indicated the attack was an assault on the disabled. Though we later learned this was not the case; the thought of an attack on individuals with disabilities raised serious concerns over the current lack of guidance regarding the access and functional needs (AFN) related considerations associated with an active shooter attack.

Through its Office of Access and Functional Needs (OAFN), the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) worked with Law Enforcement, the California Specialized Training Institute, the State Council on Developmental Disabilities and other disability stakeholders to revise the state's active shooter awareness guidance. The updated guidance, which is now publicly available, is the first-of-its-kind to integrate access and functional needs to promote the safety and security of individuals with disabilities and persons with access and functional needs before, during and after an active shooter attack.

Learning objectives:

• Develop a familiarity with the Cal OES Active Shooter Awareness Guidance document and the process used to integrate access and functional needs within it.
• Understand how to utilize the guidance to promote the safety, security and empowerment of individuals with disabilities and persons with access and functional needs.
• Learn how to use the guidance to update their respective active shooter awareness resources.

Registration: Free on-line at http://www.adapresentations.org/registration.php

January 12th, 2017

Webinars begin at 2.30pm ET/1.30pm CT/12.30 pm MT/11.30am PT/9.30am Hawaii.

Presenters:

Luis "Vance" Taylor is the Chief of the Office of Access and Functional Needs at the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services. Vance is responsible for ensuring the needs of individuals with disabilities and persons with access and functional needs are identified before, during and after a disaster and integrated into the State's emergency management systems. Born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, Vance was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy as a child and uses a power wheelchair. He has worked in Washington, D.C. as an advisor for two different members of Congress, directed security policy at a national water association and been a principal at a top-ranked homeland security and emergency management consulting firm, Catalyst Partners, LLC. Vance is a nationally recognized public speaker and advocate for individuals with disabilities.

Scott McCartney is the Project Director of the Large Stadium Initiative and Active Shooter Training Coordinator with the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services and Homeland Security. Scott has earned national recognition as a Master Exercise Practitioner (MEP) from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Scott works in Law Enforcement with the Sacramento County Sheriff's Department. Mr. McCartney is the Public Safety Director of the California Capital Airshow and has held the positions of Traffic Chief and Incident Commander. Mr. McCartney also works on CALFIRE IMT #6 as the Law Enforcement Liaison and is a member on the California Incident Command Certification System (CICCS) Task Force as a Law Enforcement advisor.

These 90 minute webinars are delivered using the Blackboard Collaborate webinar platform. Collaborate downloads files to your machine in order to run. We recommend that you prepare your technology prior to the start of the session. You may need the assistance of your IT Staff if firewalls prevent you from downloading files.

To view all of the sessions for the coming year, or to see previous sessions, go to http://www.adapresentations.org/schedule.php

The information presented in this webinar is intended solely as informal guidance, and is neither a determination of legal rights or responsibilities by NIDILRR or FEMA.

SOURCE: Press Release

Webinar Dec. 8th: Perspectives of Building Occupants with Mobility Impairments on Fire Evacuation and Elevators

                                                      ADA National Network Learning Session

December 8th, 2016 Webinars begin at 2.30pm ET/1.30pm CT/12.30 pm MT/11.30am PT/9.30am Hawaii. Registration: Free on-line at http://www.adapresentations.org/registration.php Safe and effective evacuation during a fire or other catastrophic event requires planning, practice, and available options to exit the building. Building occupants with mobility impairments face additional difficulties during fire evacuations, which may limit their evacuation options. This webinar presents a study that was conducted by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to develop guidance for building designers, facility managers, safety officers and emergency personnel on how occupants, particularly those with mobility impairments, can most effectively evacuate buildings during fire emergencies. NIST researchers conducted face-to-face interviews with 51 people with mobility impairments located in five major metropolitan areas who work in multistory buildings. They were asked about their everyday mobility at work, their experiences with fire drills or fire emergencies at work, and their opinions about using elevators to leave a building during a fire evacuation. Of particular interest were their responses to a description of occupant evacuation elevators (OEEs), egress systems with the potential to get people with mobility impairments out of a building safely and quickly, without the assistance of others, and without having to leave their mobility devices behind. The study identified a wide range of issues surrounding the evacuation of occupants with mobility impairments. Key to all of these issues is the need to include those with mobility impairments in the planning and execution of fire evacuations and to facilitate their ability for self-evacuation as much as is practicable. Learning objectives: Understand the variety of experiences, both positive and negative, that occupants with mobility impairments have with fire evacuations. Identify the evacuation methods that occupants with mobility impairments may use in response to a fire emergency, along with the reported benefits and concerns with each. Describe the concept of Occupant Evacuation Elevators (OEEs). Name the key factors that improve the fire evacuation experience of occupants with mobility impairments. Presenters: Kathryn Butler is a Physicist in the Fire Research Division at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). She has studied a wide range of fire-related topics, including emergency communication, respirator fit, fire spread in wildland-urban interface fires, and fire behavior of materials. Erica Kuligowski is the Group Leader of the Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) Fire Group in the Fire Research Division at NIST, with a background in fire protection engineering and sociology. Her research interests include evacuation and response behavior, people movement and behavioral data collection and analysis from fires and other emergencies, emergency communications, and evacuation modeling. Susanne Furman is a cognitive scientist in the National Institute of Standards and Technology's Visualization and Usability Group, where she works on and investigates user's mental models in cybersecurity and usability of biometric devices for the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Furman has a PhD in applied experimental psychology human factors from George Mason University. These 90 minute webinars are delivered using the Blackboard Collaborate webinar platform. Collaborate downloads files to your machine in order to run. We recommend that you prepare your technology prior to the start of the session. You may need the assistance of your IT Staff if firewalls prevent you from downloading files. To view all of the sessions for the coming year, or to see previous sessions, go to http://www.adapresentations.org/schedule.php ADA National Network The information presented in this webinar is intended solely as informal guidance, and is neither a determination of legal rights or responsibilities by NIDILRR or FEMA.

REGIONAL DISABILITY INTEGRATION POSITIONS with FEMA APPLY TIL NOV. 1, 2016

FEMA’s Region VI is now accepting applications for a Regional Disability Integration Specialist position. The open period for these announcements is from Tuesday, October 25, 2016 to Tuesday, November 1, 2016. To apply for this position or for full information, including key requirements and a description of duties, please click the following link to access the job announcement through USAJobs.gov: https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/454430400/

This announcement will close at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) Tuesday, 11/01/2016 OR at 11:59 p.m. ET on the date the 200th application is received, whichever comes first.

If you have any questions, please email tanjaree.turner@fema.dhs.gov or by TDD: 800-877-8339.

Job Title: Regional Disability Integration Specialist

Department: Department Of Homeland Security

Agency: Federal Emergency Management Agency

Job Announcement Number: FEMA-17-TT-120581-DE

Salary Range: $75,167.00 to $97,717.00/ Per Year

Open Period: Tuesday, October 25, 2016 to Tuesday, November 1, 2016

Series & Grade: GS-0301-12/12

Position Information: Full Time – Permanent

Duty Locations:  Denton, TX

Supervisory Status: No

Duties:

In this position, you will work very closely and under the guidance of the Director of the Office of Disability Integration and Coordination (ODIC), whose mission is preparing individuals and families and strengthening communities before, during and after a disaster by providing guidance, tools, methods and strategies to integrate and coordinate emergency management efforts to meet the needs of all citizens, including children and adults with disabilities and others with access and functional needs.

Typical assignments include:

·        Developing and implementing strategies to assist States to ensure accessible transportation options for individuals with disabilities in the event of an evacuation, are easily accessible and available in accordance with policy and procedures.

·        Coordinating to ensure the needs of individuals with disabilities are met and fully included in all components of the National Preparedness System established under section 644 of the Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act of 2006.

·        Promoting awareness throughout FEMA via accessible electronic messaging, intranet, internet, SharePoint sites, regarding strategies for fully including individuals with disabilities.

·        Fostering and developing partnerships with disability advocacy and service agencies to enhance the development of FEMA brochures, newsletters, and other publications which are accessible as required under the ADA and the Rehabilitation Act to provide access to disaster information and FEMA services, programs, and benefits.

 SOURCE: FEMA 

Webinar Oct. 27th: National Fire Protection Association's Emergency Evacuation Planning for People with Disabilities

"ADA National Network Learning Session:National Fire Protection Association's Emergency Evacuation Planning for People with Disabilities"

October 27th, 2016

Webinars begin at 2.30pm ET/1.30pm CT/12.30 pm MT/11.30am PT/8.30am Hawaii.

Registration: Free on-line at http://www.adapresentations.org/registration.php

General advice about major disasters says each of us will very likely need to take care of ourselves for the first 24 to 72 hours. The former chair of the National Fire Protection Association's (NFPA) Disability Access and Review Committee said " Every one of us should be prepared to take some responsibility for our own safety regardless of our circumstances."

To that end, the NFPA has created the Emergency Evacuation Planning Guide for People with Disabilities which provides assistance to people with disabilities, their employers, building owners and managers, and others as they develop emergency evacuation plans that integrate the needs of people with disabilities. This guidance can be used in all buildings, whether old or new.

This webinar will review the 2nd edition of this Planning Guide and provide major topics and updated materials.

Learning objectives:

• Identify the specific functions that are part of a process of evacuating a building and how to build a successful plan.

Presenter:

Allan Fraser is the Senior Building Code Specialist on the National Fire Protection Association's (NFPA) staff. Before joining NFPA, he had been the Building Commissioner in 5 different Massachusetts municipalities over twenty seven years. He is a Certified Building Official and a Certified Professional Code Administrator. He staff's NFPA's Disability Access Review and Advisory Committee. He represents NFPA on a number of committees of other standards developers.

These 90 minute webinars are delivered using the Blackboard Collaborate webinar platform. Collaborate downloads files to your machine in order to run. We recommend that you prepare your technology prior to the start of the session. You may need the assistance of your IT Staff if firewalls prevent you from downloading files.

To view all of the sessions for the coming year, or to see previous sessions, go to http://www.adapresentations.org/schedule.php

These 90 minute webinars are delivered using the Blackboard Collaborate webinar platform. Collaborate downloads files to your machine in order to run. We recommend that you prepare your technology prior to the start of the session. You may need the assistance of your IT Staff if firewalls prevent you from downloading files.

To view all of the sessions for the coming year, or to see previous sessions, go to http://www.adapresentations.org/schedule.php

The information presented in this webinar is intended solely as informal guidance, and is neither a determination of legal rights or responsibilities by NIDILRR or FEMA.

SOURCE: Pacific ADA Center

#originally scheduled/post for Oct 13, 2016

"FEMA Promising Practices: Fire preparedness and Post-Disaster Accessibility Issues in the Home" Webinar Sept. 8th

This webinar will have two presentations that look at preparedness and accessibility issues in the home. The first is Home Fire Safety Solutions for People with Disabilities, which installs smoke alarms, alert devices and delivers home fire safety educational messages that meet the needs of people with disabilities in Oklahoma. The key components of this successful program will be presented by project managers.

The second presentation covers concerns for accessibility and universal design that compliment the needs of populations that age in place. Design professionals can serve as educator and “expert” to encourage a resident to plan for accessibility for themselves, their visitors, and for any future inhabitants over their life and the life of their home. The series will address all audiences that play a role in promoting accessibility through the lens of design, from the client to the architect to the local jurisdiction.

Learning objectives:

• Determine the selection and installation of appropriate smoke alarms and alert devices that meet the needs of people with disabilities according to the National Fire Alarm Code.
• Describe the components of a successful home visit program to install smoke alarms, alert devices and deliver fire and life safety educational messages to serve people with disabilities.
• Discuss the value of community partnerships to plan and implement a home fire safety project to meet the needs of people with disabilities.
• Identify resources available to replicate the Oklahoma program in your location.
• Provide universal design tenets.
• Understand, in order to overcome, obstacles to accessibility in a post-disaster environment, including financial, policy, zoning, and building code hindrances.
• Learn how to communicate effectively with all actors in the accessibility discussion as a design professional with the obligation to advocate for universal design.

Webinars begin at 2.30pm ET/1.30pm CT/12.30 pm MT/11.30am PT/8.30am Hawaii.

Registration: Free on-line at http://www.adapresentations.org/registration.php

Presenters:

Milissa Gofourth is a Program Manager of Oklahoma ABLE Tech and has been with the sponsored program housed at Oklahoma State University, Seretean Wellness Center since 1996. Milissa advocates and promotes public policy that will enable individuals with all types of disabilities of all ages to access and acquire assistive technology. Milissa provides the assistive technology and disability related materials for training and information dissemination for the “Fire Safety Solutions for Oklahomans with Disabilities” project.

Nancy J. Trench is recognized nationally as a leader in fire and life safety education. Mrs. Trench is the Assistant Director for Research for Fire Protection Publications, the publisher of IFSTA training materials, at Oklahoma State University where she has worked for more than 35 years. She is an expert in the design, implementation and evaluation of fire and life safety education programs, including programs for young children and people with disabilities. Mrs. Trench received the second annual Dr. Anne W. Phillips Award for Leadership in Fire Safety Education from The Home Safety Council in 2008. Nancy is active with Vision 20/20, National Strategies for Fire Loss Prevention.

Brian Baer is a licensed architect with 27 years of experience implementing sustainable, community-aided design solutions for educational, cultural, civic and non-governmental agency projects across the United States. Mr. Baer is a licensed architect in several states and is a LEED accredited professional (awarded by the U.S. Green Building Council) and certified by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB). Before forming The Elevated Studio, Inc. and serving as the Executive Director, Mr. Baer was the Regional Program Manager of the New York office of Architecture for Humanity, LLC, an international charity. In that capacity, Mr. Baer did disaster relief and preparedness work and advocacy including managing the organization's New York City office for the regional response to Hurricane Sandy reconstruction throughout the metropolitan New York City region. Mr. Baer has practiced as an architect in Washington, D.C., Seattle, Boston and New York.

These 90 minute webinars are delivered using the Blackboard Collaborate webinar platform. Collaborate downloads files to your machine in order to run. We recommend that you prepare your technology prior to the start of the session. You may need the assistance of your IT Staff if firewalls prevent you from downloading files.
To view all of the sessions for the coming year, or to see previous sessions, go to http://www.adapresentations.org/schedule.phpThe information presented in this webinar is intended solely as informal guidance, and is neither a determination of legal rights or responsibilities by NIDILRR or FEMA.

SOURCE: Pacific ADA Center

Webinar August 11: Emergency Management & Preparedness-Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities

 "ADA National Network Learning Session: Disaster Behavioral Health and People With Access and Functional Needs: Resources from the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)"

August 11th, 2016

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is the agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that leads public health efforts to advance the behavioral health of the nation. SAMHSA's mission is to reduce the impact of substance abuse and mental illness on America's communities, including throughout all phases of the disaster cycle. When natural and human-caused disasters occur, including incidents of mass violence such as terrorism and shootings, survivors, loved ones of victims, and responders are all at risk for emotional distress or other mental health concerns. Persons with physical and mental health disabilities, the deaf and hard of hearing, those with visual impairments and many others have unique access and functional needs that must be addressed as a part of a 'whole community' approach to disaster preparedness, response, and recovery, and this includes incorporating available and accessible behavioral health resources into emergency management operations. This session will provide an introduction to disaster behavioral health and overview of resources from SAMHSA that emergency managers, providers, and the public at large can utilize year-round, during and immediately following disaster events, and during long term recovery.

Webinars begin at 2.30pm ET/1.30pm CT/12.30 pm MT/11.30am PT/8.30am Hawaii.

Registration: Free on-line at http://www.adapresentations.org/registration.php

Presenters:

CDR Jamie Seligman, LMSW-C, BCD, is a project officer with Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) in the Emergency Mental Health and Traumatic Stress Services Branch (EMHTSSB). In his current role, he monitors crisis counseling grants to states with presidentially-declared disasters and provides technical assistance to grantees and applicants. He is also the project officer for the Disaster Behavioral Health Information Series (DBHIS), an online virtual disaster resource center with downloadable publications. CDR Seligman spearheaded the development and creation of the SAMHSA Disaster Kit; he also provided oversight and subject matter expertise in the development and launch of SAMHSA's Disaster App. CDR Seligman oversees the Disaster Distress Helpline, which is the first national hotline dedicated to providing year-round disaster crisis counseling. He has been deployed to numerous disaster settings, serving as a federal responder (mental health professional) with United States Public Health Service (USPHS). His deployments include: Ft. Myers, FL (Hurricane Charley), New Orleans (Hurricane Katrina), Asia (tsunami), South Dakota (suicide cluster), American Samoa (tsunami), Gulf Coast (Deep Water Horizon Oil Spill) and Liberia (Ebola).

Christian Burgess, MSW, is Director of the Disaster Distress Helpline (DDH), a program of the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration administered by Link2Health Solutions (L2HS), a subsidiary of the not-for-profit Mental Health Association of New York City. L2HS also administers the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline for SAMHSA, of which the DDH is considered a sub-network. Christian serves on the National VOAD Emotional and Spiritual Care Committee (ESCC) and Health Committee, and co-chaired the NYC VOAD ESCC from 2013-2014. Christian served as Training Coordinator for the Oil Spill Distress Helpline from 2010-2011, also administered by L2HS for SAMHSA, before becoming the DDH Director in 2012 when that program was launched. Prior to L2HS, Christian worked for over 10 years in youth violence prevention and trauma intervention, including as Director of School Programs at Safe Horizon, one of the nation's largest service providers for victims of crime.

These 90 minute webinars are delivered using the Blackboard Collaborate webinar platform. Collaborate downloads files to your machine in order to run. We recommend that you prepare your technology prior to the start of the session. You may need the assistance of your IT Staff if firewalls prevent you from downloading files.

To view all of the sessions for the coming year, or to see previous sessions, go to  http://www.adapresentations.org/schedule.php

The information presented in this webinar is intended solely as informal guidance, and is neither a determination of legal rights or responsibilities by NIDILRR or FEMA.

FEMA Webinar July 14th: Strategies for Effective Communication with People who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing in Emergencies

ADA National Network/FEMA Webinar Series:

Emergency Management and Preparedness-Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities

The following is provided by the
Pacific ADA Center

Webinar on July 14, 2016 begins at 2.30pm ET/1.30pm CT/12.30 pm MT/11.30am PT/8.30am Hawaii.

Registration: Free on-line at http://www.adapresentations.org/registration.php

This presentation will provide two examples of practices for effective communication with people with disabilities in emergencies. The first is a partnership between Center for Public Safety Innovation at St. Petersburg College and the State of Florida to provide a course entitled Effective Strategies for Communicating With People Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing and Other Access and Functional Needs. Speakers will provide an overview of objectives and course content, as well as discuss the interactions and the purpose of this training as a face-to-face workshop instead of distance learning and why.

In the second half of the webinar, staff from the New York City Office of Emergency Management will cover their emergency outreach efforts to persons who are deaf and/or hard of hearing. Staff will review the policy and cost considerations, production tips, and operational procedures that were used to produce and embed approximately 80 signed videos into Notify NYC — the City's free, official source of information about emergency events and important City services. Initial videos were taped with an American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter and the agency has moved to production with a Certified Deaf Interpreter (CDI). The City has also prioritized the use of a CDI whenever the Mayor or Commissioner of Emergency Management is providing key emergency messages to the public during an emergency activation.

Presenters:

Chris Littlewood is an Instructional Technology Coordinator with the Center for Public Safety Innovation at St. Petersburg College. He has more than twenty years of experience as both an instructional designer and public safety educator. As a self-advocate for people with disabilities, Mr. Littlewood uses his law enforcement and emergency responder experiences in training and providing subject matter expertise in the area of inclusive emergency planning and preparedness for people with access and functional needs and disabilities.

Carole Lazorisak is a tenured, retired college professor who has taught Human Services, American Sign Language, and Sociology and Interpreter Education courses in New York City. She currently works as a Master Mentor, a certified ASL instructor, certified Deaf interpreter, interpreter trainer, and workshop facilitator. Carole uses her public safety experience, knowledge of the ADA and accessibility laws, vocational rehabilitation and disability studies, and her mental health training to enhance her work as a trainer and as an interpreter.

Allison Pennisi is the Deputy Director of Communications for the New York City Emergency Management (NYCEM). She has overseen the strategy, development and production of a range of initiatives, including writing and editing content for the agency's website and publications; developing and promoting campaigns and programs; and accelerating the agency's social media presence through the use of new tools and programs. Allison is a subject matter expert in the use of social media in emergency management, collaborating with key stakeholders both within the agency and beyond New York City government and serves as member of the New York City Social Media Advisory & Research Taskforce (Team Digi) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Virtual Social Media Working Group (VSMWG).

Ben Krakauer is the Director of Watch Command for the New York City Emergency Management where he provides strategic and operational oversight for the City's 24x7 situational awareness and interagency coordination center, including the emergency public notification system, Notify NYC. Ben has been with the NYCEM since 2010 when he joined the agency as a member of the Public Warning Team. Prior to joining NYCEM, Ben was an emergency manager for Broome County's Office of Emergency Services and Department of Public Health. First becoming involved in emergency services at the age of 14, Ben has practiced as an emergency medical technician, advanced emergency medical technician, paramedic, and EMS instructor.

Jonathan Rotta served first as a Communications Specialist at New York City Emergency Management and is now in the Training and Exercises division. In his former role, Jonathan assisted with the agency's public messaging efforts across various media, including publications, advertising, photography, videography, web content, and social media. Serving as videographer and editor, he worked closely with the Notify NYC team and other members of the External Affairs division to produce, in-house, over 50 Notify NYC ASL videos. These videos and their corresponding multilingual translations were published to the NYC Emergency Management website.

Register here:  http://www.adapacific.org/EmergencyManagement2016_conference

These 90 minute webinars are delivered using the Blackboard Collaborate webinar platform. Collaborate downloads files to your machine in order to run. We recommend that you prepare your technology prior to the start of the session. You may need the assistance of your IT Staff if firewalls prevent you from downloading files.To view all of the sessions for the coming year, or to see previous sessions, go to http://www.adapresentations.org/schedule.php