Access to Emergency Alerts for People with Disabilities
National, State and Community Initiatives

National (non FCC) Initiatives

(For FCC-related emergency communications reports and resources, visit the FCC Page of the Resource Repository.)

American Red Cross

Disaster Preparedness for People with Disabilities (link to pdf)
A comprehensive guide, including worksheets, to help prepare for an emergency. This worksheet is just one of a collection of resources on the Red Cross Disaster Preparedness site, www.prepare.org.

Coalition of Organizations for Disaster Education
A coalition of Federal agencies and not-for-profit organizations that work together to develop and disseminate consistent educational information for the public about disaster preparedness.

Association of Public Television Stations (APTS)

The Association of Public Television Stations is working through a grant provided by FEMA and DHS to rollout the national deployment of a Digital Emergency Alert System (DEAS) designed to enhance the delivery service of Presidential alerts and warnings. All public television stations are equipped to receive and transmit the digital emergency signal to citizens nationwide.

Bridge Multimedia - Emergency Info Online

Emergency Info Online is a resource directory for emergency preparedness, response, recovery and accessible communications.

Center for Disability and Special Needs Preparedness (DPC)

The Disability Preparedness Center cooperates with federal, state and local agencies who are responsible for emergency planning and management including the Environmental Protection Agency, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Department of Transportation, and other federal, State and local agencies.

EAD & Associates, Emergency Management and Special Needs Consultants

EAD & Associates is owned by Elizabeth Davis, an internationally recognized expert in the fields of emergency management and special needs planning, and a member of the Access Alerts Project's Working Group and National Consumer Advisory Board. The firm's web site has a host of subject-related resources available.

Emergency Management Community
A large network of professionals and volunteers with developed plans, communications networks, evolving best practices, an accretidation program and outlets to publish information and findings. A collection of links to these organizations appears below.

Emergency Management Accretidation Program
National Emergency Management Association
National Governors Association and NGA Center for Best Practices/Emergency Management
The International Emergency Management Society
Journal of Emergency Management
U.S. Department of Homeland Security, FEMA Emergency Management Institute

Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA)

(See also U.S. Department of Homeland Security, DHS)

Fire Safety for People with Disabilities
From the U.S. Fire Aministration, part of the FEMA DHS, downloadable publications to help people with disabilities increase the chances of survival of fire.

Individuals with Special Needs, Preparing and Planning
A collection of resources for people with disabilities and other special needs, including steps to take for first responders and shelter personnel when anticipating the needs of and interacting with these populations.

National Council on Disability (NOD)

NCD is an independent federal agency composed of members appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. It provides advice to the President, Congress, and executive branch agencies to promote policies, programs, practices, and procedures that guarantee equal opportunity for all individuals with disabilities, regardless of the nature or severity of the disability and to empower individuals with disabilities to achieve economic self-sufficiency, independent living, and inclusion and integration into all aspects of society.

"National Council on Disabilities Quarterly Meeting, People with Disabilities and Emergency Planning." NCD Monograph. New Orleans, LA. January 28-30, 2008
A report outlining key issues raised and discussions from invited subject matter experts in the field of disability and emergency management and public comment.

"Saving Lives: Including People with Disabilites in Emergency Planning." NCD Report. April 15, 2005.
An overview of the steps the Federal Government should take to build a solid and resilient infrastructure that will enable the government to include the diverse populations of people with disabilities in emergency preparedness, disaster relief, and homeland security programs.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

NOAAWatch
A site than links the latest weather forecasts around the U.S. and around the world.

NOAA Education - Weather for Kids and Students
Educational activities about weather and weather events for kids and students.

NOAA Safety Tips
Recommendations and weather event-specific information to help the public prepare for weather emergencies.

National Organization on Disability (NOD)

NOD Emergency Preparedness Initiative
Launched in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks, the NOD's EPI works to ensure that emergency managers address disability concerns and that people with disabilities are included in all levels of emergency preparedness- planning, response, and recovery.

Special Needs Assessment for Katrina Evacuation (S.N.A.K.E.)
An effort of the NOD to gather information about the impact and service delivery to individuals with disabilities, seniors, and medically managed persons after Hurricane Katrina.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Environmental Protection Agency Office of Emergency Management
EPA is working with other federal partners to prevent accidents as well as to maintain superior response capabilities. The EPA provides information about response efforts, regulations, tools, and research that will help the regulated community, government entities, and concerned citizens prevent, prepare for, and respond to emergencies.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Guidelines for Emergency Preparedness
A collection of links to online emergency planning and preparedness resources.

Emergency Preparedness for Business
A comprehensive set of links, compiled by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, to plan for a terrorism-related event.

U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
(see also Federal Emergency Management Administration, FEMA)

Community Emergency Preparedness Information Network (CEPIN)
An effort of Telecommunications for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Inc. (TDI), with funding from the U.S. Department of Education, which resulted in a model community education course for emergency responders, managers, planners and deaf and hard of hearing consumers.

Interagency Coordinating Council on Emergency Preparedness and Individuals with Disabilities
The Interagency Coordinating Council on Emergency Preparedness and Individuals with Disabilities was established as an activity coordinated by DHS to ensure that the federal government appropriately supports safety and security for individuals with disabilities in disaster situations. The Council is comprised of senior leadership from 23 federal departments and agencies, and organizes its commmittee actvities around nine focus areas. The Communications Committee is led by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

"Individuals with Disabilities in Emergency Preparedness. Executive Order 13347. Annual Report 2005." (pdf file)
A report on the needs of individuals with disabilities in planning for all types of disasters and emergency situations. Submitted by the Interagency Coordinating Council on Emergency Preparedness and Individuals with Disabilities.

Ready America Campaign, www.ready.gov
The Ready Campaign, www.ready.gov, is a national public service advertising campaign produced by the Ad Council in partnership with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The Ready Campaign is designed to educate and empower American citizens to prepare for and respond to potential terrorist attacks and other emergencies.

U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT)

National Traffic and Road Closure Information
Provides the status of road conditions in text.

State and Community Initiatives

"Access to Emergency Video Programming Through Captioning in Virginia: A Best Practices Guide." June 2004. (pdf file)
Best practices, as determined by a workgroup of consumers, broadcasters and goverment representatives, for addressing access by deaf and hard of hearing consumers to critical information in emergency situations. This guide also includes an extensive collection of resources and links.

National Capital Region Disability Preparedness Initiative
A web site tracking the work of the Center for Disability and Special Needs Preparedness (located in Washington, D.C.) to assess and develop an urban area security strategy incorporating the needs of people with disabilities in evacuation and sheltering actvities during emergency situations.