EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT

Welcome to the Pass It On Center Emergency Management Blog! This venue serves as a place to discuss, share, explore and provide resources for the AT Reuse Community and Emergency Management. Feel free to join our current discussion, create a new topic, post a comment or just hang out and learn something new.

Friday, May 18, 2012

Hurricane Preparedness Week teleconference May 23, 2012 at 2pm EST

Please join us for a Hurricane Preparedness Week teleconference focusing on inclusive emergency preparedness with an emphasis on the access and functional needs of children and adults with disabilities.

DATE: May 23, 2012
TIME: 2pm Eastern (1pm Central, 12pm Mountain, 11am Pacific)
Passcode: Hurricane Preparedness Week

In 2011, FEMA responded to 98 major disaster declarations. One of the biggest was Hurricane Irene which impacted 14 states and 35 million people.

Hurricanes don’t just bring wind and rain; they can also bring other severe problems such as lightning strikes, flooding, extended power outages, and can interrupt or destroy vital community resources, like public transportation.  These problems affect all Americans including people with disabilities and others with access and functional needs.

Hurricane season begins on June 1st, 2012 and FEMA and the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) are partnering to help Americans become prepared for hurricanes and other types of severe weather.   As Administrator Craig Fugate often says, “FEMA is only part of the emergency management team.”  Key members of the team are the public.  That is why we are encouraging everyone to do their part and we’re asking your help as a member of the community to make this effort successful.

Please join Marcie Roth, Director of the Office of Disability Integration and Coordination (ODIC) and other senior leaders at FEMA to find out how you can help your community become better prepared for meeting the needs of the whole community during hurricanes and other types of severe weather.

During this preparedness week we are reminding  you to be a force of nature – Pledge to prepare at http://www.ready.gov/hurricanes, take action, and be an example by sharing what you have done with your friends, family, and coworkers.

The National Preparedness Report (NPR)

The National Preparedness Report (NPR) has recently been released. The Report was developed to meet the requirements of Presidential Policy Directive 8/PPD-8: National Preparedness which identifies significant progress the nation has made in areas of prevention, protection, mitigation, response, and recovery.  Overall the Report found that the nation has increased its collective preparedness, not only from external threats, but also for natural and technological hazards that face all communities as a whole.

National Hurricane Preparedness Week 2012 runs - May 27th through June 2nd

National Hurricane Preparedness Week 2012 runs from May 27th through June 2nd
 
 
History teaches that a lack of hurricane awareness and preparation are common threads among all major hurricane disasters. By knowing your vulnerability and what actions you should take, you can reduce the effects of a hurricane disaster. 

Hurricane hazards come in many forms, including storm surge, heavy rainfall, inland flooding, high winds, tornadoes, and rip currents. The National Weather Service is responsible for protecting life and property through issuance of timely watches and warnings, but it is essential that your family be ready before a storm approaches. Furthermore, mariners should be aware of special safety precautions when confronted with a hurricane. 

Download the Tropical Cyclone Preparedness Guide (PDF) or follow the links for more information. But remember, this is only a guide. The first and most important thing anyone should do when facing a hurricane threat is to use common sense.

Thursday, May 10, 2012

The Next Generation 9-1-1 Advancement Act of 2012

The Next Generation 9-1-1 Advancement Act of 2012 [P.L. 112-96] was recently signed into law in order to establish a 9-1-1 Implementation Coordination Office responsible for the coordination of 9-1-1 services as well as the facilitation of grant programs for state, local and tribal entities providing these services. In addition, The House Homeland Security Committee recently passed The Integrated Public Alert and Public Warning System Modernization Act of 2011 [H.R. 3563] to establish common alerting protocols and operating procedures for warning systems. The Act stresses the accessibility of alerts by calling for the alert content to adapt to users’ needs, especially for people with disabilities, and for the dissemination of alerts to be subject to a users’ geographic location and personal preferences.

Thursday, May 3, 2012

Los Angeles Settlement Requires Development of New Emergency Response Plans to Include People with Disabilities

Settlement: Disabled must be included in disaster plans

In a legal settlement with far-reaching implications, the city of Los Angeles agreed Wednesday to develop new emergency response plans that will consider care for the disabled.

The settlement, which calls for $2.1 million in payments to the law firms representing the disabled, is the largest so far won by disabled rights advocates seeking to have plans for earthquakes, fires, flooding and other emergencies reflect the special needs of the community.

"We have been trying to work it out with the city for years," said Sidney Wolinsky of Disability Rights Advocates of Berkeley, who brought the legal action along with the Disability Rights Legal Center of Los Angeles.

"This is the first case that we have been able to resolve after the judge ruled our way. It will be a precedent for us as we work with other cities.

"This has been a long-standing problem with agencies in not considering the needs of the disabled," Wolinsky said. "I think it has been a problem for emergency and disaster planning and has been one of those things that have fallen through the cracks."

Under the agreement, Los Angeles emergency planners will have to develop special plans for the disabled - there are an estimated 500,000 people with disabilities in Los Angeles - in case of an emergency.

Click here for the direct link to the article