Monthly Updates - November 2006

ICC Monthly Highlights

WCD Expo 2006

On November 18, 2006, CRCL staff participated in the World Congress on Disability Exposition (WCD Expo) at the Philadelphia Convention Center in downtown Philadelphia, PA. The three day conference offered educational information relating to individuals with disabilities, their families and caregivers, physicians, direct support professionals, allied healthcare professionals, educators and adapted physical education specialists. CRCL staff presented a session on Individuals with Disabilities in Emergency Preparedness. The presentation highlighted the disability preparedness work of CRCL and the ICC and shared personal preparedness tips including a demonstration on creating an emergency supply kit.

ICC Emergency Communications Subcommittee
Chair: Federal Communications Commission – Disability Rights Office, Consumer & Government Affairs Bureau

TFCC E9-1-1 Disability Access Summit

On November 15, 2006 the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) hosted an Enhanced 9-1-1 (E9-1-1) Disability Access Summit. The purpose of the Summit was to (1) identify precisely the various types of direct E9-1-1 access that people with hearing or speech disabilities need; (2) identify the technologies, services, and applications through which access should be offered; and (3) define the technological, policy, and commercial issues involved in providing the needed access to persons with hearing and speech disabilities. Representatives from DOT, DOJ, and the White House - Office of Domestic Policy were also in attendance. Several FCC Commissioners and key staff members were present. The audience was large and diverse, including a host of Internet-based Telecommunication Relay Service Providers, TRS consumers, and individuals, plus entities representing solutions/options.

ICC Health Subcommittee
Chair: Department of Health and Human Services – Office on Disability

HHS Health Subcommittee Develops Disability-Based Strategic Plan

The ICC Health Subcommittee is developing a two-year strategic disability-based action plan that will update the 2005 Action Plan submission. The strategic action plan includes specified goals and objectives consistent with the HHS Secretary’s Strategic Plan Objectives for Emergency Management. The Subcommittee’s plan will guide its work and include specific performance measures to monitor attainment of listed objectives.

HHS Office on Public Health Emergency Preparedness Offers Training to Regional ACF Directors

The HHS Office on Public Health Emergency Preparedness (OPHEP) Human Services Office provided a comprehensive training on emergency preparedness per ESF 6 and 8 for 50% of the Regional ACF (Administration on Children and Families) Program Managers/Directors. These Managers are the regional point persons for coordinating disability and human services management and response when an emergency (man made or natural) should occur within a designated region. Members of the ICC Health Subcommittee participated in the training to enhance their skills related to ensuring appropriate planning for meeting needs of persons with disabilities. Training for the remaining regions will occur in January 2007.

ICC State, Local and Tribal Government Coordination
Chair: Department of Homeland Security – Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties (CRCL)

State, Local and Tribal Coordination Endeavors

Throughout the month of November, CRCL engaged key partners both inside and outside DHS to advance coordination efforts with State, local and tribal governments:

New Jersey Technical Assistance
CRCL is participating in a DHS sponsored project to assist the state of New Jersey in planning for individuals with special needs (including individuals with disabilities) as part of its State Emergency Operations Plan (EOP). At a November 8, 2006 meeting held within the New Jersey State Police Headquarters, DHS contractors facilitated a working session of state emergency managers and community representatives. CRCL presented key points to consider in ensuring that the plan coheres with recent federal interagency work in defining "Functional and Medical Support Sheltering." Attendees also heard from Florida representatives regarding their changes to Special Needs Shelter provisions resulting from the 2004 hurricanes that ravaged the state.

H.R. 5441, Section 689 Guidelines
CRCL is collaborating with FEMA in the development of a Working Draft of Guidelines for Accommodating Individuals with Disabilities in Disasters. The Guidelines are called for by Section 689 of the 2007 Homeland Security Appropriations Act, and are to be finalized by FEMA by January 2, 2007. Pursuant to its charge under Executive Order 13347, CRCL is coordinating the project by collaborating with a working group of federal agencies having jurisdiction over enforcement of various disability 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.

School Preparedness
On November 21, 2006 CRCL delivered an audio conference presentation on school preparedness to the Disability Network of the U.S. Department of Education's Regional Offices on Civil Rights. The presentation addressed the elements of school preparedness, the intersection of disability civil rights and emergency preparedness, and the strategies for integrating students with disabilities into school preparedness plans. CRCL distributed a listing of resources on the topic to the presentation participants.

State, Local and Tribal Meeting/Conference Participation:

NRP/NIMS Revision
CRCL participated in the DHS-sponsored interagency meeting launching revisions to the National Response Plan (NRP) and the National Incident Management System (NIMS). CRCL will play an active role within this critical project to ensure that disability-related considerations are incorporated within these high level policies governing the nation’s emergency management system.

DHS Preparedness Directorate
CRCL's Officer for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, Daniel Sutherland, and Senior Policy Advisor, Claudia Gordon, engaged key representatives of the DHS Preparedness Directorate during their Leadership Meeting. Mr. Sutherland and Ms. Gordon presented the array of CRCL initiatives related to preparedness and individuals with disabilities. They offered to extend CRCL's disability-related subject matter expertise to support the Directorate's functions such as grants, training, exercising, and technical assistance.

2006 Office of Grants ad Training National Conference: A Partnership in Preparedness
CRCL staff participated in the Office for Grants and Training National Conference November 28-30, 2006. The conference focused on implementing National Preparedness Priorities and offered several breakout sessions including, but not limited to: Implementing the National Incident Management System (NIMS), Strengthening Planning and Citizen Preparedness Capabilities, Technical Assistance and Training.

IAEM Annual Conference
CRCL staff participated in the 2007 Annual Conference of the International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM). During the Conference, CRCL built important linkages to emergency management professionals and explored the possibility of collaborating in curriculum development in the area of disability preparedness.

CC Private Sector Coordination
Chair: Department of Homeland Security – Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties

COMCARE Forum

On November 14, 2006 CRCL staff participated in a forum sponsored by the COMCARE Emergency Response Alliance. COMCARE is a national non-profit coalition dedicated to advancing emergency response. The meeting brought together diverse perspectives on the topic of emergency communications. Attendees discussed the specific implications for individuals with disabilities facing communications challenges during emergency alert and notification.

Corporation for National and Community Service

On November 21, 2006 CRCL staff met with leaders from the Corporation for National and Community Service, an organization dedicated to improving lives, strengthening communities, and fostering civic engagement through service and volunteering. CRCL discussed future opportunities to collaborate with the group and their network of organizations to include people with disabilities in community service endeavors, including emergency management activities.

National Blueprint Summit in Charleston Focuses on Community Involvement

On November 30, 2006 a CRCL representative joined 250 local government officials, first responders, medical response personnel, fire and law enforcement officials and members of academia in Charleston, South Carolina's to discuss ways to develop a National Blueprint of best practices and private public partnerships. The goal of the Summit was to bring the minds and efforts of state, regional and local responders, community and government officials and the law enforcement community into a forum where best practices and partnerships could be explored to help prepare communities for a disaster. Much of the focus was on local resiliency. In the words of NCORP Chairman Jim Gilmore, the former governor of Virginia, "There is no they, we are they." For more information please visit: http://www.ncorp.org/showarticle.php?articleID=4171.

Recently Released Resources

CEPIN Project Unveils New Website

The Community Emergency Preparedness Information Network (CEPIN) launched its new website at http://www.cepintdi.org. The new website encourages awareness and networking among emergency responders and deaf and hard of hearing people by offering information on disability laws and emergency response programs in local communities. For more information on CEPIN and TDI please visit http://www.cepintdi.org.

NCD Publishes National Disability Policy: A Progress Report

The National Council on Disability (NCD) submitted the National Disability Policy: A Progress Report, as required by Section 401(b)(1) of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended to the President on November 9, 2006. The Report covers the period December 2004 to December 2005 and it reviews federal policy activities noting progress where it has occurred and makes further recommendations where necessary. To view the entire report please visit: http://www.ncd.gov/newsroom/publications/2006/progress_report.htm.

Mississippi Community Prepares List to Identify “Special Needs” Residents

DeSoto County’s Department of Emergency Services is updating a list of "special needs" residents who might need extra help from first responders in emergency situations. The list intends to quickly and efficiently flag residents in need immediately following a disaster. For more information please visit: http://www.commercialappeal.com/mca/desoto/article/0,1426,MCA_451_5126306,00.html

Project Safe EV-AC Training Library

Project Safe EV-AC (EVacuation and ACcommodation of People with Disabilities), a three-year development project designed to improve evacuation from buildings, vehicles, and other settings during emergencies, has released several training materials to better assist individuals with disabilities and first responders in emergency situations. Such publications include: Individual Pack - A packet of information to provide useful information to people with disabilities about their right to accommodation; In Advance - Information regarding planning for personnel training, site preparation, and acquisition of tools and equipment; and In a Pinch - A quick reference manual covering the techniques for evacuating people with disabilities from various sites and situations. For more information please visit: http://evac.icdi.wvu.edu/library/training.htm.

Virginia Community Receives Funding to Help Local Officials Combat Threat of Avian Flu

The Virginia Department of Health recently granted the Prince William Health District $140,000 in addition to its original May grant of $66,000. The funding will be used to target specific groups of people considered the most vulnerable and the most likely to become infected in the case of an outbreak. The elderly, those with disabilities, the medically fragile and those who do not speak English are considered the most at-risk, according to Asher Grady, the co-pandemic flu preparedness outreach coordinator for the health district. For more information on the avian flu grant please visit: http://www.zwire.com/site/tab6.cfm?newsid=17528818&BRD=2553&PAG=461&dept_id=506105&rfi=6.

NEMA Releases After-Action Report for Hurricanes Katrina and Rita

Lexington, KY – The Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC) released its after-action report (AAR) for the 2005 Hurricane season response. According to the report, despite demands put on the system by the catastrophic natural disasters of Hurricane Katrina and Rita, the compact and its leadership worked effectively – delivering unprecedented levels of personnel and resources to the affected areas. For more information on the report please visit: http://www.emacweb.org/?1452.

NCD Report: Creating Livable Communities

The National Council on Disability (NCD) has submitted the sequel to the 2004 report, Livable Communities for Adults with Disabilities, to the President. This report included recommendations that promote the full integration of people with disabilities into the community by way of safe and affordable housing, access to transportation, access to the political process, and the right to enjoy whatever services, programs, and activities are offered to all members of the community by both public and private entities. To view the entire report please visit: http://www.ncd.gov/newsroom/publications/2006/livable_communities.htm.

Upcoming Events

December 13-14, 2006
Emergency Preparedness and Response Conference (For People with Disabilities, the Elderly, Pediatrics, and Animals)
Washington, DC
The Emergency Preparedness and Response Conference will cover all aspects of emergency management planning and response for people with disabilities, the elderly, pediatric populations, and animal issues. This conference will bring together national experts to discuss changes in policies, legislation, response protocols, workplace safety, and disaster management. For more information please visit http://www.homelanddefensejournal.com.

January 29-February 2 , 2007
Florida Emergency Preparedness Association Annual Conference
Daytona Beach, Florida
The Florida Emergency Preparedness Association Annual Conference includes speaker presentations, panel discussion, and workshops that focus on timely emergency management issues and topics. In conjunction with the annual conference, association business is conducted; also, outstanding agency and individual contributions to the field of emergency management are recognized through an awards program. For more information visit: http://www.fepa.org/meetings.aspx.

February 8-9, 2007
National Conference on Disaster Planning for the Carless Society
New Orleans, LA
The University of New Orleans Transportation Center, in partnership with the New Orleans Regional Planning Commission and the Regional Transit Authority, is organizing a National Conference on Disaster Planning for the Car-less Society. Hurricanes Katrina and Rita revealed the importance of evacuation planning, especially for people without the ability or means to drive. All cities in the United States are vulnerable to natural and human caused disasters. The focus of this conference is on evacuation planning for car-less residents, including the elderly, disabled, and transit dependent populations. Our intent is to bring together government officials, professionals, and experts to discuss how we can better prepare for those that are in most need. For more information go to http://www.carlessevacuation.org.

February 21-23, 2007
The Public Health Preparedness Summit
Washington, DC
The 2007 Local, State, and Federal Public Health Preparedness Summit offers individuals from all parts of the country to come together and learn about new methods of meeting preparedness challenges. Public health-oriented professional associations, in cooperation with CDC and HRSA, have joined to design a program of interactive sessions, hands-on learning workshops, and social opportunities that will leave participants inspired, energized and connected to their colleagues when the Summit concludes. For more information please visit: http://www.phprep.org/.

February 22-23, 2007
National Congress for Secure Communities
Washington, DC
The Congress will bring together federal, state and local officials, first responders, members of the media, business leaders, non-profit organizations, academic experts, and other community leaders as Delegates to the Congress. The Delegates will help develop simple, effective ways to leverage the assets of the private and community sectors into the local public sector preparedness and response plan during the first 72 hours of crisis. For more information please visit: http://ncorp.org/nationalcongress/.

March 12-13, 2007
23rd Annual Pacific Rim Conference on Disabilities
Honolulu, Hawaii
The Pacific Rim Conference is an international educational forum for persons with disabilities, family members, researchers, service providers, policy makers and nationally recognized professionals in the various disciplines in the diverse field of disabilities. Pacific Rim provides opportunities to learn from one another, share resources and ideas that support the quality of life, community inclusion, and self-determination for all persons with disabilities and their families and help shape our world community. For more information please visit: http://www.hawaii.edu/calendar/uh/2007/03/12/2756.html.

March 19-24, 2007
Technology & Persons with Disabilities Conference 2007
Los Angeles, CA
The Technology & Persons with Disabilities Conference serves as a major training venue for professionals around the world involved in the field of disability and technology. For more information on the conference please visit: http://www.csun.edu/cod/conf/index.html.

April 17-20, 2007
15th Annual VOAD Conference
Albuquerque, NM
Call For Workshop and Presentation Proposals Due December 8, 2006
Choose from beginning, intermediate or advanced levels of knowledge in any of the following four areas: preparedness, response, recovery and mitigation. All workshops are 90 minutes in length. To promote a great diversity of workshop topics, the following criteria will be used to select presentations: the spirit of coordination, collaboration, cooperation, and communication; content of presentation; emerging trends; and conference theme. For more information please visit: http://www.nvoad.org/annualconf1.php.

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.