Update – Disability Stakeholder Meeting with Chief Kidd – Tues Mar 1 from 2-3pm – Topic – Disaster Resilience
Dear Fellow Disability Stakeholder –
This is a forward of the earlier correspondence on the upcoming public meeting dialogue with Chief Nim Kidd of the Texas Governor’s Division of Emergency Management to discuss disaster resilience and disability on Tuesday, March 1 from 2-3pm in Austin, Texas with phone conferencing and other accommodations. The meeting follows on the discussion at the Capitol with Libby Nezda, policy analyst of the Senate Committee on Transportation and Homeland Security.
On behalf of Chief Kidd and GDEM, Gisela Ryan-Bunger, GDEM Operations Section Administrator, (Assistant to Denita Powell) has confirmed to me that they have in-room sign interpretation and in-room CART ready, as well as 120 phone lines available for those across the state who are participating. The Deaf community is also requesting accommodation for equally effective communication for consumers who wish to be present at the meeting through webcast with sign interpretation and CART. VRS will be used for communication into the dialogue. Deaf community stakeholders and consumers from Tyler, Beaumont, and the Valley, as well as sites in Central Texas have sent an interest in participating and who will require accommodation per ADA.
Gisela expressed that the equally effective communication request of the Deaf community outside of Austin is trying to be worked out. Chief Kidd’s Emergency Management Division jurisdiction covers the entire state. The Deaf community stepped forward this evening to draft some straightforward technical options that are routinely used across the country in government and business to provide equally effective communication. I will receive this list tomorrow and will forward to GDEM. This is a wonderful example of how the community partners with emergency management by helping solve technical questions because it is part of everyday.
Gisela will send the call-in/log-in information, as well as the location in Austin by email on Friday, February 24 at 9am. If you will be at the Capitol at appointments, please feel free to join by phone/videophone.
We have received interest in participation from across Texas (Beaumont, Houston-Harris County, the Valley, Central Texas, the Panhandle, and Dallas-Fort Worth), including Regina Blye, Lex Frieden, Tony Koosis, Mike Houston, and Deborah Nowinski. Veterans with disability stakeholders are also checking to see if they can participate.
This is an exciting opportunity to open a dialogue to share with Chief Kidd, special guests like regional emergency management and organizations that assist in disaster, as well as fellow stakeholders, the everyday reality of independent living, disaster experiences, and ways to work and plan together with them to ensure dignity, health, and safety of all Texans during all types of disasters.
Please RSVP to receive the participation details. Many COTWD, CILs, and TAD members will be in Austin early next week, and we encourage everyone to share their experiences and ideas on how to be disaster resilient with Chief Kidd. At the Meeting with Libby at the Capitol, a Deaf community member expressed interest in participating more fully, for example on a CERT (Community Emergency Response Team), and this is already happening in the Midwest and Michigan!
More information to follow. Hope to see you/hear you on Tuesday –
Best Regards,
Maggie Elestwani
Collaborative for People with Disabilities
Austin, Texas
Updated based on recently annuncement. See link below: