Disaster Preparedness for Advocates |
Disaster Preparedness: Guidelines for Advocates of People with Complex Communication Needs (CCN) To date, few people in the field of emergency management and preparedness are aware of the needs of people who have functional limitations that interfere with communication access. This large group of individuals include those with speech disabilities, complex communication needs, cognitive challenges, very young children, anyone under severe stress, people who have a hearing loss and those with limited English proficiency. At this time, there is almost no awareness of the needs of people with CCN who rely on AAC.
Resource List: Emergency Preparedness: Improving Communication Access for People with Limited Speech
Newsletters: AC News, Vol 19, #4, Dec 2007/Jan 2008. Through the first hand experience of many individuals and a call to action, this issue of AC News reviews the impact of world disasters and humanitarian emergencies on people with disabilities and those who are called upon to support them at such times. This edition of AC News presents the experiences and perspective of people who have complex communication needs, their family members, relief workers and those who were called upon to rebuild communities after hurricane Katrina. www.aac-rerc.com and www.augcominc.com AT Focus, Vol9, Issue 4 – Summer 2007. This issue of AT Focus provides information on devices that may be used to prevent or alert individuals with disabilities during an impending emergency. The publication also lists related websites. http://disabilities.temple.edu
Communication Displays. EAD & Associates, LLC. EAD & Associates, LLC provides expertise in emergency management and special needs planning that ensures people with disabilities are prepared for natural and manmade disasters, emergencies and their consequences. EAD and associates a disaster Readiness Wheel for people with disabilities. One side of the wheel provides preparedness steps while the reverse side provides response information. Servision provides readymade and customized Communication Picture Boards to meet the needs of people who rely on AAC and the partners they may meet in emergency situations. Servision’s communication boards can be helpful in a variety of settings: field hospitals, ambulances, shelters and assistance centres. www.eadassociates.com
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Indoff and Vidatak E-Z Board. Provides customized augmentative communication displays for the voice-disabled in acute-care and other hospital settings.
Relief Organisations. United States Department of Justice (DOJ) An ADA Guide for Local Governments: Making Community Emergency Preparedness and Response Programs Accessible to People with Disabilities. www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/emergencyprep.htm
June Isaacson Kailes (JIK) Disaster Resources for People with Disabilities, Disability-related Organizations and Emergency Managers.
Center for Disability Issues and the Health Professions (CDIHP) FEMA (Dept of Homeland Security). Disaster information, assistance, recovery and rebuilding.
READY: Prepare, Plan and Stay Informed. This site has an excellent and fun section for children to explore and prepare for emergencies. www.ready.gov www.ready.gov/kids/index.html This is where you will find information on “Go Bags.” www.redcross.org www.redcrossstore.org/shopper/ProdList.aspx
CDIHP, Centre for Disability Issues and Health Professionals. This Centre provides an Emergency Evacuation Preparedness Guide. http://wwwcdihp.org/products.html#evac_guide
AAC Organisations. USSAAC, the US Chapter of ISAAC posts information concerning humanitarian emergencies that affect people who rely on AAC: e.g. Disaster Preparedness Tips for Emergency Management Personnel: People with Limited Speech and Disaster Preparedness for People with Limited Speech: Taking Responsibility for Your Safety and Tips for AAC Advocates. ISAAC posts AC News, Vol 19, #4, 2007/2008 in the site’s Information Exchange. AAC-RERC (the Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center on Communication Enhancement) is hosting information on disaster preparedness on their website and inviting others to link to it. They have worked in collaboration with USSAAC and News-2-You to develop a range of useful materials for (1) people with complex communication needs and their families, (2) emergency management personnel and (3) AAC advocates. They are also conducting a study of vocabulary that should be available during emergency situations. News-2-You: News-2-You® is a family-run business started by Jacquie Clark, a speech-language pathologist with over 30 years experience. The current events newspaper began as a weekly classroom project utilizing concise, symbol-supported text to deliver current events news to a population previously denied this information.
Compiled by Anne Warrick, CCCF, Toronto Canada and Sarah Blackstone, AAC-RERC, Monterey CA ISAAC Biennial Conference, August 7, 2008, Montreal, Canada.
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