Google Maps, Warning Alerts about Emergency Situations

Whether you're unaware that an earthquake warning has been issued for the area you are visiting later or whether you desperately need more information about the hurricane headed your way, Google Maps should be able to help! Why? Because the popular mapping service now incorporates emergency alerts from several public safety organizations.
http://technolog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/01/26/10241717-google-maps-will-now-warn-you-about-emergency-situations
If you'd rather see all active alerts in one spot instead, you can do so on the main Google Public Alerts page.

My Safety, My Responsibility, My Plan - serving those with Cognitive disAbilities

My Safety, My Responsibility, My Plan
http://www.wihd.org/EmergencyPreparedness/index.


My Safety, My Responsibility, My Plan is an emergency preparedness program aimed at helping individuals with intellectual disabilities to become more independent in their homes. Knowing what to do in an emergency fosters self-determination. Individuals learn about different types of emergency situations and how to be prepared.  My Safety, My Responsibility, My Plan uses a step-by-step approach to creating a Personal Emergency Plan. The program includes a full curriculum, a trainer’s manual, and an exciting new web version with 8 informative and interactive videos. A supplemental Family Guide on Emergency Preparedness provides steps for individuals with disabilities living with their families to create a Family Emergency Plan together. The project was developed at the Westchester Institute for Human Development, Valhalla, NY.

FEMA February 17th Think Tank Conference Call

Please join FEMA’s Deputy Administrator Richard Serino as he hosts the next FEMA Think Tank conference call on February 17th from San Francisco, CA.
Friday, February 17, 2012
1:00 pm – 3:00 P.M. Eastern (10:00 A.M. – 12:00 P.M. Pacific)          
Call in number: 1-800-369-1986 
Passcode: Think Tank February  
Individuals who would like to access the captioning for this event may do so by following the link below: http://fedrcc.us//Enter.aspx?EventID=1904972&CustomerID=321  
The focus of this month’s Think Tank conference call will be the use of technology and social media in emergency management. The two specific topics that will be discussed on the call are:
1.      How to communicate with disaster survivors and distribute information to mass audiences if cellular and on-line communications are unavailable immediately following a catastrophic disaster. In particular, we will discuss how existing communications tools, such as amateur (ham) radio operators, can be leveraged and linked to other forms of mass communications following a disaster. We’d also like to hear your ideas on how we can ensure these communications are accessible to the whole community.  
2.      How mobile applications can help emergency managers and individuals prepare for, respond to, and quickly recover from disasters. We will talk about two specific ideas for mobile apps that were submitted to the online forum, and then open the discussion to other ideas for apps related to emergency management and preparedness.

What's your State's "Awareness" week?

Wondering about good opportunities to increase awareness among people with disabilities on weather related emergencies and how to prepare?
Consider using an "awareness" week for these activities - find your state's scheduled 'week" at:
http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/severeweather/severewxcal.shtml

Answers to Questions Disaster Survivors Have Video

Answers to Questions Disaster Survivors Have video now available.  


The video is in ASL, narrated English and open caption.  It is about 9.5 minutes. http://www.fema.gov/medialibrary/media_records/6347

Emergency Alert System Nationwide Test (EAS) 2:00 pm (Eastern Standard Time) on November 9, 2011

Below is the information about the Emergency Alert System (EAS) Test. The website is: http://www.fcc.gov/guides/emergency-alert-system-nationwide-test-EAS. Please spread the word especially in the deaf and hard of hearing communities.

Emergency Alert System Nationwide Test (EAS)

Background

The first nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System, or EAS, will take place at 2:00 p.m. (Eastern Standard Time) on November 9, 2011. The purpose of the test is to assess the reliability and effectiveness of the system in alerting the public.

What exactly is the EAS?

The Emergency Alert System is a media communications-based alerting system that is designed to transmit emergency alerts and warnings to the American public at the national, Tribal, state and local levels. EAS participants broadcast alerts and warnings regarding weather threats, child abductions and other types of emergencies. EAS alerts are transmitted over television and radio broadcast, satellite television and satellite radio, cable television and wireline video services.

When is the EAS used and when would a national EAS alert be sent?

The EAS is often used by state and local emergency managers to alert the public about emergencies and weather events. The system provides the ability to send messages regionally or nationally, though it has never been tested at these levels. A major disaster such as an earthquake or tsunami could require the use of the system to send life-saving information to the public.

Why do we need a nationwide test?

Although local and state components of the EAS are tested on a weekly and monthly basis, there has never been an end-to-end nationwide test of the system. We need to know that the system will work as intended should public safety officials ever need to send an alert or warning to a large region of the United States. Only a complete, top-down test of the EAS can provide an appropriate diagnosis of the system’s performance.

How will the national EAS test be conducted?

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), along with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), will conduct the nationwide test on November 9, 2011 at 2:00 p.m. eastern standard time. The alert will be transmitted throughout the country and will be monitored by the EAS participants. After the test has been completed, the EAS participants will report back to the FCC on the results of the test.

What will people see and hear during the test?

Although the nationwide EAS test may resemble the periodic monthly EAS tests that most consumers are familiar with, there will be some differences in what consumers may see or hear, which is one reason for conducting a nationwide EAS test. During the test, the public will hear a message indicating “this is a test”. The audio message will be the same for everyone, however due to limitations of the EAS, the video test message may not be the same and may not indicate “this is a test”. This is due to the use of a “live” national code – the same code that would be used in an actual emergency. Also, the background image that appears on video screens may indicate “this is a test” but in some cases there may be no image at all. FEMA and the FCC plan to reach out to organizations representing people with hearing disabilities to prepare that community for the national test. In addition, FEMA and the FCC will work with EAS participants to explore whether there are solutions to address this limitation.

How long will the test last?

We anticipate that the test will last approximately 3 minutes.

Why is the national test being conducted at this particular date and time?

In order to minimize disruption and confusion during the EAS test, it is being conducted on November 9 because this date is near the end of hurricane season and before the severe winter weather season begins. The 2 p.m. EST broadcast will minimize disruption during rush hours while ensuring that the test occurs during working hours across the country.

Will the test involve mobile communications devices?

No. The test will involve only those communications service providers – broadcast radio and television, cable television, satellite radio and television and wireline video services – that participate in the EAS.

For More Information

For more information about EAS, visit the FCC’s EAS webpage. For more information about AMBER Alerts, see our consumer guide. Finally, for information about other telecommunications issues, visit the FCC’s Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau website. 

September is National Preparedness Month

In his proclamation designating September as National Preparedness Month, President Barack Obama stated, “In April of this year, a devastating series of tornadoes challenged our resilience and tested our resolve. In the weeks that followed, people from all walks of life throughout the Midwest and the South joined together to help affected towns recover and rebuild…Disability community leaders worked side-by-side with emergency managers to ensure that survivors with disabilities were fully included in relief and recovery efforts. These stories…underscore that in America, no problem is too hard and no challenge is too great.”

Disability.gov’s Emergency Preparedness section has many tools and resources that can help people with disabilities and others prepare for, and recover from, emergency situations and disasters.

Here are a few examples of the resources you’ll find on Disability.gov

•    Tips for people who have pets or service animals
•    Information about emergency kits and supplies
•    Preparing for emergencies at work and school
•    Accessible shelters and emergency housing
•    Help recovering from a disaster

You can also find help in your state by visiting Disability.gov’s Information by State section and going to the Emergency Preparedness section for your state. Disability.Blog also has information about the importance of including everyone in emergency management planning, preparing for emergencies in the workplace and taking into account service animals when planning for emergencies.

Stay safe, be prepared, and check out these other resources for more information

•    Ready.gov (Listo América)
•    Are You Prepared? Video Contest
•    FEMA’s Office of Disability Integration and Coordination
•    DisabilityPreparedness.gov
•    National Preparedness Month Coalition
•    DisasterAssistance.gov
•    Emergency Preparedness and You
•    Citizen Corps
•    American Red Cross