Site makes emergency info readily available

(from the Longview News-Journal)

A new Web site compiled by the Northeast Texas Public Health District seeks to make emergency preparedness information accessible to residents with special needs, Longview city spokesman Shawn Hara said.

The site, accessibleemergencyinfo.com, includes videos with American Sign Language interpreters advising how to prepare for 18 topics, ranging from anthrax and botulism to pandemic flu and plagues, according to Stephanie Walker, the district's Anderson County coordinator.

The videos also have voice audio and text appearing alongside the interpreter, she said.

The site includes emergency preparedness guides formatted in Braille, large print and regular font for download. All of the information is free for public use, and any group may link to the site, Walker said.

Preparedness information for deaf populations is limited, she said. In less than one month, the site's home page has received nearly 7,000 visits, and Walker has gotten responses from public health officials in several states from Washington to South Carolina, she said. The Federal Emergency Management Administration has asked Walker to host a Webinar to tell other officials how to compile such a site.

"A lot of people don't realize that there's about 10 percent of the population that's deaf," Walker said. "When we don't give them the information, how can we possibly expect them to be prepared when disasters strike?"

"We hope the information will assist at-risk populations and serve your organization as a tool to become prepared for all hazards," Walker said in a Dec. 1 e-mail to other health and government officials. "We also hope this project serves as a springboard for further development of materials for at-risk population preparedness." The Northeast Texas Public Health District includes Wood, Smith, Rains, Van Zandt, Henderson and Anderson counties.

KWJZ Radio Interview - Vulnerable Populations

Radio interview with Sheri Badger, Pierce County Department of Emergency Management on Sunday, August 23rd with Gary Shipe, Public Affairs Director, KWJZ Smooth Jazz.

Project Homeless Connect in Tacoma, WA - Oct. 14

Project Homeless Connect is a one day connection to resources and services for people experiencing homelessness in Pierce County. Medical and dental care, haircuts and flu shots, access to benefits through the Veterans Administration, the Department of Social and Health Services, replacement of identification and new glasses – all available under one roof.

This is the third annual event, each year reaching more and more individuals in need. This year's event will be October 14 from 9am to 5pm at the Tacoma Dome Exhibition Center. Please join the event organizers in spreading the word to those in our most vulnerable population. For more information: www.pchomelessconnect.org

H1N1 Workshop for Community Based Organizations

Mercer Island (WA) Community Center
September 24th, 2009
9:30-12:00

Get answers to the following questions:
· How can I protect my vulnerable clients and staff?
· How should I prepare my organization?
· How should I clean and disinfect my facility?

Get updates on current situation and Public Health’s preparedness and response planning:
· Vaccine distribution
· Public education and communications

Location:
Mercer Island Community Center
8236 SE 24th Street, Mercer Island, WA 98040
(206) 275-7609

To RSVP (appreciated but not required):
Robin Pfohman, Public Health Seattle & King County
Robin.pfohman@kingcounty.gov
206.263.8759
Vulnerable Populations Action Team (VPAT)

Gig Harbor/Key Peninsula High Risk Population Summit Invitation

Register today for the Gig Harbor/Key Peninsula (WA) High Risk Population Summit on Wednesday, Sept. 16 from 8 to 12 noon.

See attached for agenda.

It will be held at St. Anthony's Hospital in the Milgard Pavilion, 11567 Canterwood Blvd NW in Gig Harbor.

Please RSVP to Jonathan White, Peninsula Light 253-857-1514 and Lisa Marshall, Merrill Gardens, 253-858-5300.

Sponsored by: Peninsula Multi Agency Coordinating Council (MACC)

Emergency Responders and the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Community: Taking the First Steps to Disaster Preparation (course)

The CEPIN (Community Emergency Preparedness Information Network) course, Emergency Responders and the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Community: Taking the First Steps to Disaster Preparedness is being presented on Wednesday, September 30, 2009 from 8:00am-5:00pm at the Pierce County Emergency Operations Center, 2501 South 35th St, Suite D, Tacoma, WA 98409.

Hosted by Hearing Speech and Deafness Center – South Sound in cooperation with the Pierce County High Risk Populations Planning Committee this course requires a balance of participants between emergency responder and planning personnel and members of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Communities, both professional and community members. Attached is a registration from in PDF that can be completed and saved and emailed to LeeAnna Paynter, Program Assistant, HSDC-South Sound, lpaynter@hsdc.org . Continental breakfast and lunch will be provided. Registration deadline is September 23, 2009.


Delivered by Telecommunications for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Inc. (TDI)

This course will provide participants with an understanding of the tools and knowledge needed to prepare a community response, as well as respond to and recover from emergencies ranging from weather-related emergencies to a terrorist attack, for deaf, hard of hearing, late-deafened, and deaf-blind individuals.

COURSE DETAILS
This is an 8-hour course, beginning at 8:00 am and ending at 5:00 pm. The maximum number of students is 40. All registrants must be a U.S. Citizen. Photo identification is required upon registration. There is no registration fee for this class.

Audience: This course is designed to provide deaf and hard of hearing (including deaf, deaf-blind, hard of hearing, late-deafened and other individuals with hearing loss) and emergency responders with the basic skills they need to communicate with each other in the event of emergencies such as terrorist attacks and natural and biological disasters. The course will also instruct participants how to respond to a variety of emergency situations.

All key members of emergency response agencies involved in the planning of and response to a disaster would benefit from this course including: law enforcement, fire, EMS, public health, community advocates, special needs populations representatives, elected officials, homeland security officials and others who may be indirectly or directly affected.

Scope: At the conclusion of this course, participants will gain the skills they need to prepare for and respond to an emergency situation involving individuals who are deaf, deaf-blind, hard of hearing or late-deafened. The course materials will train participants to identify and recruit those in their neighborhood whose daily activities place them in a unique position to identify potential barriers to effective communication as well as proven solutions to work around such obstacles

Applications being accepted for Fall Emergency Planning Institute

The Emergency Planning Institute is a 12-hour class sponsored by the Pierce County (WA) Department of Emergency Management which is targeted toward social service agencies, long term care facilities and anyone else who is interested in putting together or improving their organization's emergency plan.

The next class schedule is:

• Thurs, Sept 24 from 8 am to 12 p.m.at TACID (Tacoma Area Coaltion for Individuals with Disabilities) in Tacoma

Session 1: Incident Command/Introduction to Disasters - Overview

• Thursday, October 8 from 8 am to 12 p.m.at TACID (Tacoma Area Coalition of Individuals with Disabilities) in Tacoma

Session 2: Plans and Procedures

• Thursday, October 29 from 8 am to 12 pm at Pierce County Emergency Operations Center in Tacoma

Session 3: How to…Update, Train and Exercise

We ask that participants commit to all three classes. Click here for the registration form. Classes are limited in size to 20 people. The application deadline is September 11.