Monthly Updates - May 2007

ICC Monthly Highlights

National Hurricane Preparedness Week — May 20 — 26, 2007

President Bush proclaimed May 20 through May 26, 2007, as National Hurricane Preparedness Week, a time to raise awareness of steps that can be taken to help protect our citizens, communities and property.

In his proclamation the President stated "Hurricanes can be devastatingly powerful and include storm surge, high winds, tornadoes, and flooding. To reduce the potentially deadly effects of these storms, it is imperative for people in hurricane-prone areas to prepare for each type of hurricane hazard. Taking the time to develop a family disaster plan, create a disaster supply kit, and stay aware of current weather situations can improve preparedness and help save lives."

The President called upon government agencies, private organizations, schools, and the media to share information about hurricane preparedness.

To view the entire Presidential Proclamation please visit: http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/05/20070518-2.html.

DHS Officials Comment on Hurricane Season 2007

DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff and FEMA Administrator David Paulison, along with officials from the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the U.S. Air Force Reserve, discussed the federal government's preparations for the 2007 Hurricane Season, which begins June 1 and runs until Nov. 30. They participated in a press conference at which NOAA officials announced a 75 percent chance that the Atlantic hurricane season will be above normal this year, with seven to 10 storms becoming major hurricanes of Category 3 or higher.

In his remarks, the Secretary said, "We are coming into this hurricane season with a set of tools that we've never had before. We've got much more communications equipment, including interoperable equipment that is capable of being put on-site very quickly, including real-time video to give us eyes on the actual situation when the storm hits." However, the Secretary warned against complacency, saying, "Last year was an unexpectedly easy season; there's no guarantee that this season is going to be anything less than very tough."

During his remarks, Paulison reinforced the Secretary's comments about the level of preparedness, especially at FEMA. He added that all levels of government and private citizens have to do their part to be ready before a major storm hits. Warning against complacency, he said, "We have predicted a very heavy hurricane season. We need to make sure that those who are in those hurricane zones have prepared themselves for this upcoming season."

A transcript of the press conference is available at: http://www.dhs.gov/xnews/releases/pr_1179922325611.shtm.

For more information on personal emergency preparedness tips please visit: www.ready.gov.

DHS TODAY — May 29, 2007 — Vol. 5, Issue No. 19

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ICC Monthly Updates

US Department of Health and Human Services

Hurricane Season 2007 Preparedness Efforts

The Office on Disabilities and the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) have been in close contact with ESF #8 and its partners in preparation for the 2007 hurricane season. Efforts have included finalizing ESF #8 input to the DHS/FEMA 2007 National Hurricane Contingency Plan to ensure the concerns of persons with disabilities are addressed in the supporting documents.

Update on the Development of Emergency Preparedness Toolkit for State and Local Planners

The charge of the Health and Human Services Work Group is to meet the health and human services challenges of persons with disabilities in emergency preparedness. To meet that charge, under the leadership of the HHS Office on Disability and the Assistant Secretary of Preparedness and Response (ASPR), a web based training toolkit targeting State and local emergency response managers is being developed. This toolkit will also be available in other media including written and audio formats.

The web-based toolkit will combine existing guidance and best practices in an accessible and useful site. The information will be organized based upon the criteria below:

• All-Hazards Approach: FEMA currently issues planning and SOP guidance based upon an all-hazards model. The toolkit will follow this approach to ensure consistency with current methodology and familiarity to the emergency planner.
• Emergency Support Function (ESF): After identifying the hazard, the user will filter for ESF-focused guidance.
• Category of Disability: Disabilities may be grouped into one or more of the following categories: physical, sensory, cognitive, behavioral, and chronic. The toolkit will address various planning considerations and best-practice research for functional limitations in each category.
• Output: After the user navigates through the schema, the toolkit will generate output to address planning considerations for each phase of emergency management.

In addition to the toolkit development, there will be an introductory web based training module on disability. It will first be used to educate HHS Public Health and civil service staff on detail during an emergency event

US Department of Housing and Urban Development

HUD's Deputy Secretary Stresses "Power of Partnership" in Preparing for 2007 Hurricane Season

HUD Deputy Secretary Roy A. Bernardi spoke at the Second Seminar on Disaster Relief in San Juan, Puerto Rico. He stated that the federal government is ready for this year's hurricane season and stressed the importance of preparing for disaster at every level. Bernardi joined representatives from FEMA, Small Business Administration (SBA), and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to discuss how federal partnerships can support local communities with disaster planning and long-term recovery.

"The only way to respond in the face of disaster is to respond together," said Bernardi. "The federal government will never get it done by itself and in the same way, you cannot go it alone. HUD is a critical resource once the dust has settled or the flood waters have receded. But this is not to say that we aren't poised to act even before disaster strikes."

For a transcript of the full remarks, please visit www.hud.gov.

US Department of Justice

New Installments of ADA Best Practices Tool Kit for State and Local Governments Issued

On December 5, 2006, February 27, 2007, and May 7, 2007, the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice issued installments of a new technical assistance document designed to assist state and local officials to improve compliance with Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in their programs, services, activities, and facilities. The new technical assistance document, which will be released in several installments over the next ten months, is entitled "The ADA Best Practices Tool Kit for State and Local Governments."

The Tool Kit is designed to teach state and local government officials how to identify and fix problems that prevent people with disabilities from gaining equal access to state and local government programs, services, and activities. It will also teach state and local officials how to conduct accessibility surveys of their buildings and facilities to identify and remove architectural barriers to access.

The newest installments to the Tool Kit include:

Chapter 5, Website Accessibility Under Title II of the ADA (HTML) | (PDF)

Chapter 5, Addendum: Title II Checklist (HTML) | (PDF)

Chapter 6, Curb Ramps and Pedestrian Crossings (HTML) | (PDF)

Chapter 6, Addendum: Title II Checklist (HTML) | (PDF)

For more information please visit: http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/adahom1.htm.

US Department of Labor

ODEP Announces Solicitation for Grant Applications to Fund National Technical Assistance Center on Transition and Employment for Youth with Disabilities

The Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) has announced the availability of up to $1.7 million to fund a cooperative agreement to establish the National Technical Assistance Center on Transition and Employment for Youth with Disabilities with a 24-month period of performance. In addition, this initiative may be funded for up to three (3) additional option years at approximately $1,000,000 per year, depending on performance, identified need and the availability of future funding.

This Center will conduct research, disseminate information, and provide technical assistance to a wide range of stakeholders on topics relevant to improving post-school outcomes for youth with disabilities.

The May 11 FEDERAL REGISTER provides full background and outlines the eligible applicants, application requirements, and award information. The closing date for applications is June 25, 2007.

Federal Communications Commission

FCC To Hold Open Commission Meeting

The Federal Communications Commission will hold an Open Meeting on Thursday, May 31, 2007, at 9:30 a.m. in Room TW-C305, at 445 12th Street, S.W., Washington, D.C. The topics considered in the Open Meeting will include: an Order concerning recommendations submitted by the Independent Panel Reviewing the Impact of Hurricane Katrina on Communications Network; a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking concerning wireless Enhanced 911 location accuracy and automatic location identification for interconnected Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services; a Second Report and Order concerning the promotion of Next Generation EAS; a Report and Order regarding revisions to its disability access rules under section 255 and to its Telecommunications Relay Services rules under section 225 of the Communications Act of 1934 to interconnected Voice over Internet Protocol providers; a Report and Order and Declaratory Ruling defining physically inaccessible cable wiring as well as requesting carrier rights to access inside wire subloops in multiunit premises; and a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking concerning market modifications for purpose of satellite and cable carriage of television broadcast stations.

Additional information concerning this meeting may be obtained from Audrey Spivack or David Fiske, Office of Media Relations, (202) 418-0500; TTY 1-888-835-5322. Audio/Video coverage of the meeting will be broadcast live with open captioning over the Internet from the FCC's Audio/Video Events web page at http://www.fcc.gov/realaudio.

US Environmental Protection Agency

EPA Employees Attend CERT Training

EPA employees at agency headquarters attended a three-day training seminar entitled, Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Training. Components of the training included: Disaster Preparedness; Fire Safety; Disaster Medical Assistance; Disaster Psychology, and Terrorism. The no-cost training was provided by Serve DC/Executive Office of the Mayor and was funded by a grant from the Department of Homeland Security.

Following the training 60 transport chairs were purchased and placed in EPA headquarters facilities in inside assembly areas for use during an emergency.

For more information on CERT Training opportunities please visit Serve DC: http://www.serve.dc.gov/cncs/site/default.asp.

US Department of Homeland Security

Special Needs Planning Guide Meeting

On May 30th and 31st, 2007 CRCL and FEMA co-hosted a meeting to develop a Special Needs Planning Guide for State and local emergency managers across the U.S. The document will offer concrete guidance and recommendations on the development of emergency plans that incorporate the needs and perspectives of special needs populations. During the two day meeting stakeholders and disability subject matter experts conducted a comprehensive review of the draft planning guide.

Continued Collaboration on 2007 Homeland Security Appropriations Act — Section 689 Guidelines

CRCL in collaboration with its ICC partners and FEMA have completed the Guidelines for Accommodating Individuals with Disabilities in Disasters. The Guidelines, required by Section 689 of the 2007 Homeland Security Appropriations Act, will be available on FEMA's website following clearance procedures.

Pursuant to its charge under Executive Order 13347, CRCL coordinated the project by working collaboratively with a Work Group consisting of representatives from federal agencies with jurisdiction over the enforcement of various disability civil rights and accessibility laws. It is the intent of the Guidelines to demonstrate how the array of existing accessibility requirements can be synthesized and framed as a tool for use by response and recovery personnel in the field.

DHS — Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Outreach Activities and Events

On May 10th, Claudia Gordon participated in a panel discussion on the topic of "Aspiring Deaf and Hard of Hearing Females" at the Deaf and Hard of Hearing in Government National Training Conference. The 3-day conference focused on the employment, advancement, retention, and culture of Government employees who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing as well as hearing employees. The conference also focused on ways to foster communication among hearing and Deaf individuals, regardless of communication modes such as sign language or spoken English.

Recently Released Resources

FY 2007 Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI) Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP)

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently announced that nonprofit organizations in the 46 designated UASI areas are eligible to apply for funds as part of the fiscal year (FY) 2007 Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI) Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP). This grant program will provide more than $24 million to eligible 501(c)(3) organizations who are deemed high-risk for a potential international terrorist attack.

Nonprofit organizations must submit applications through their State Administrative Agency (SAA) to be considered eligible for an award of up to $100,000. Nonprofit organizations must agree to match 25 percent of federal grant funds in cash or through equivalent, related training. Applications will be reviewed and prioritized by the SAA in coordination with the Urban Area Working Group (UAWG) and the local Citizen Corps Council. SAAs must submit applications for the FY 2007 UASI NSGP online at www.grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. EDT on June 22, 2007. For more information on the FY 2007 UASI NSGP, visit www.dhs.gov.

Incident Management Systems Division Releases Resource Typing Definitions for Pathfinder Task Forces

FEMA's Incident Management Systems Division has released resource typing definitions for Pathfinder Task Forces within the Mass Care discipline as part of the Nation's effort to strengthen catastrophic response capabilities in accordance with the National Incident Management System (NIMS).

The Pathfinder Task Force program works under local Incident Command using mapping and tracking systems to seek out persons with special needs who are homebound. The Task Force simultaneously can provide the bulk of the staffing for up to 20 Points of Distribution (POD), along with a central Logistics Staging Area. A POD is a physical location where medications or other items are distributed to individuals who have not been evacuated to mass care facilities. The most commonly planned PODs are for Pandemic Flu to distribute anti-viral drugs and provide inoculations to individuals within a given geographic area. When a local or state emergency operations center activates the Pathfinders program, a local facility is identified, which can house and secure a 10-14 day operation with up to 1500 personnel, who then can render assistance to an impacted population of up to 250,000 people in an area of about 500 square miles.

A Pathfinder Task Force consists of credentialed personnel, working under the local ESF 6 (Mass Care, Housing and Human Services). The Task Force can range from 7-20 members (depending on the Type level of disaster) and has its own incident support team. The Task Force can expand to incorporate local, state, and federal resources and personnel which can include military assets, civilian volunteers, and local, public, non-emergency employees for outreach missions.

These recommended resource typing definitions have been submitted to the Incident Management Systems Division and will be made available on the NIMS Web page at http://www.fema.gov/emergency/nims/rm/rt.shtm. The Incident Management Systems Division again invites NIMS Stakeholders to review the resource typing definitions for Pathfinder Task Forces. The comment review period will end 30 days from the date of this Alert. Following adjudication of comments, there will be a final release.

Comments can be directed to the following E-mail address: NIMS-credentialing@L-3com.com.

Emergency Information Infrastructure Partnership (EIIP) Hosts Interactive Session on the NRP/NIMS Revision

The EIIP hosted a 'live chat' presentation and interactive Q&A session on May 23, 2007, on the topic of the national review and revision process for the National Response Plan and the National Incident Management System. The review was recommended in the Homeland Security Council report, The Federal Response to Hurricane Katrina: Lessons Learned, and key issues were identified in various after action reports.

To view the transcript please visit: http://www.emforum.org/vforum/lc070523.htm

The Honorable Tom Ridge: In His Own Words

In the April 2007 issue of Homeland Defense Journal, the Honorable Tom Ridge - America's first Secretary of Homeland Security and now Chairman of the Board of the National Organization on Disability - shares his thoughts on disability and emergency preparedness, and how NOD's Emergency Preparedness Initiative is playing a leading role in this area.

Read the Honorable Tom Ridge's article from the April 2007 issue of Homeland Defense Journal

Upcoming Events

June 4 – 7, 2007
FEMA's Emergency Management Institute Annual Conference
Emmitsburg, MD
FEMA's Emergency Management Institute (EMI) is hosting the 10th Annual Invitational Emergency Management Conference, June 4-7, 2007, for representatives of colleges and universities that (1) have an existing hazard, disaster, emergency management program in place, or (2) are attempting to develop and implement a hazard, disaster, emergency management program on their campus (e.g., a degree, certificate, minor, or concentration). The primary goal of the invitational conference is to provide a forum for academics to discuss problems and issues surrounding hazard, disaster, and emergency management educational programs. For more information please visit: http://training.fema.gov/emiweb/edu/educonference07.asp.

June 7, 2007
Emergency Preparedness & Response: Based on CAN/CSA 2731
Canada Standards Association Learning Centre
Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
An effective emergency management plan will promote the safety of workers, responders and the public; reduce the potential for costly damage; reduce environmental and other impacts; assist emergency staff in initiating corrective actions; reduce recovery time and associated costs; and ensure employee and public confidence in your organization's ability to manage crisis. This two day seminar will guide participants through the requirements for an effective plan, with the use of CSA Z731 — Canada's National Standard and case studies and exercises designed to maximize understanding and facilitate application.

For more information please visit: https://learningcentre.csa.ca/lc_site/be.asp?gid=50009573&tid=50009639.

June 10 – 13, 2007
National Conference on Citizen Preparedness
Alexandria, VA
The International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM), the National Association of Emergency Managers (NEMA) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will jointly host the National Conference on Citizen Preparedness on June 10-13, 2007 in Alexandria, VA. Anyone interested in community and citizen preparedness is invited to attend. Conference participation is an allowable use of Citizen Corps grant funding from DHS.

Conference Objectives: Share best practices on community preparedness; get suggestions on how to reach out to specific population segments; learn innovative approaches to funding; hear updates on Department of Homeland Security initiatives; network with other Citizen Corps partners; find out how others are addressing liability issues; hear ideas on engaging elected officials; and listen to findings from citizen preparedness research.

More detailed information and online registration is available through the IAEM web site at: http://www.iaem.com/NCCC2007.htm.

June 28, 2007
Emergency Communication and Notification Solutions for Government and Business Training Conference
Washington, DC
The "Emergency Communication and Notification Solutions for Government and Business Conference" will inform federal, state, and local and business leaders on current trends and directions in the emergency communications sector. Government and commercial case studies will profile best practices. Industry will report on this important sector, trends, directions and emerging solutions – all geared to assist government and commercial emergency response planners as they prepare to define needs and requirements.

For more information please visit: http://homelanddefensejournal.com/hdl/Emergency-Communication-notification.htm.

July 8 – 11, 2007
17th World Conference on Disaster Management: "Emergency Management & Business Continuity Working Together"
Toronto, Canada
This conference addresses issues common to all aspects of disaster and emergency management. The program includes speakers from many parts of the world and provides opportunities for training and networking among those in all fields relating to emergency management.

For more information please visit: http://www.wcdm.org/

August 6-7, 2007
Job Accommodation Network (JAN) Annual Conference: Empowering Employers to Build an Inclusive Workforce
Crystal City, VA
For over 23 years, the Job Accommodation Network (JAN) has provided focused, trusted, and informed answers to these and other questions. This annual conference unites JAN consultants with featured speakers who have expertise in employment law, innovative employment practices, and disability issues. For more information please visit: http://conference.jan.wvu.edu/.

November 11 – 14, 2007
International Association for Emergency Managers (IAEM) 55th Annual Conference
Reno, NV
The IAEM Annual Conference provides a forum for current trends and topics, information about the latest tools and technology in emergency management and homeland security, and advances IAEM committee work. Sessions encourage stakeholders at all levels of government, the private sector, public health, and related professions to exchange ideas on collaborating to protect lives and property from disaster.
For more information please visit: http://www.iaem.com/.

About the Interagency Coordinating Council on Emergency Preparedness and Individuals with Disabilities

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties oversees the implementation of Executive Order 13347, Individuals with Disabilities in Emergency Preparedness, which was signed by President Bush in July 2004. This Executive Order is designed to ensure the safety and security of individuals with disabilities in all-hazard emergency and disaster situations. To this end, the Executive Order created an Interagency Coordinating Council (ICC) on Emergency Preparedness and Individuals with Disabilities. The ICC is comprised of senior leadership from more than 20 Federal departments and agencies. Its mission is to ensure that people with disabilities and their specific needs are fully integrated into all aspects of our nation's emergency management system; including mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery. The Secretary of Homeland Security is the Chair of the ICC, and he has delegated that role to Mr. Daniel Sutherland, the DHS Officer for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties. The Council has concentrated its work in eight major areas:

1. Emergency Communications;
2. Emergency Preparedness in the Workplace;
3. Emergency Transportation;
4. Health;
5. Private Sector Coordination;
6. Research;
7. State, Local and Tribal Government Coordination; and
8. Technical Assistance and Outreach.

For more information about the ICC please visit http://www.disabilitypreparedness.gov.