Meeting with Chief Kidd 3/1/11 – Austin
Note: ASL interpreter already arranged. Just come and join us!!
Good morning everyone!!
READ email below…IF ASL access is important to you, especially during
disaster events that pose a threat to (your) life and/or property..
The time to act is NOW…
Set your calendars for MARCH 1ST…from 2pm to 3pm in Austin…
PLEASE READ EMAIL BELOW (by Maggie Elestwani, Coalition for People with
Disabilities)…the Senate Committee for Transportation and Homeland
Security, their policy analyst, Libby Nezda and Chief Kidd of TDEM will have
joint meeting regarding access for Texans with Disabilities, including the
Deaf and HOH community..Without the people.. (that means…YOU) …we
cannot make changes that will positively impact our lives.. you must let
them know (RSVP) if you plan to join this meeting and request accommodations
(i.e., ASL interpreter, CART, etc.)..notice the DEADLINE…MONDAY FEB 21,
2011.
The time is now, Texans UNITE! Forward this message far and wide to all
Texans…
Here’s some more important information (for you to read)…
http://www.coataccess.org/node/9961
(put out by the Deaf re: lack of access in emegency management; please
review)
http://www.disabilityrightslegalcenter.org
(Federal Judge ruled city of Los Angeles failed to include citizens with
disabilities to emergency plans!!! LA residents DON’T have access; TEXANS
have had access for 6 years with AHAS…)
Texans…it’s time to UNITE!!!
If any of you have any questions, please email me or Scott Bailey
([email protected] or [email protected]); you’re also welcomed to
contact Maggie (who’s email is listed below on email).
Cheers, y’all…God bless
Michael Houston
Email: [email protected]
Important – Action Required – RSVP Next Meeting with Chief Kidd – Tuesday,
March 1, 2011 at 2-3pm
Dear Texas Disability Stakeholder –
The tentative meeting date with Chief Nim Kidd of the Texas Governor’s
Division of Emergency Management (GDEM) is Tuesday, March 1, 2011 from 2-3.
Chief Kidd’s last available appointment is 2pm each day. We are reserving
this date to provide 2 weeks of lead time to Amanda Garcia to secure
accommodation needs. Amanda Garcia, his scheduler confirmed the appointment
by phone on Tuesday, February 15, 2011.
The meeting will be either in person in Austin, on the phone, or
videoconferencing. I have alerted his scheduler Amanda that there is a
required ADA accommodation of sign interpretation for those in person and in
the videoconferencing from other Texas locations. Please send any additional
accommodations ASAP.
Previous Meeting at the Capitol – The topic at the meeting is similar to the
meeting with the Senate Committee policy analyst, Libby Nezda, who would
like to participate in the meeting as well. The meeting at the Capitol was
attended by Lex Frieden, Chase Bearden, Regina Blye, Mike Houston, Scott
Bailey, Deborah Nowinski, Nikki Benneke, and myself. We are awaiting the
response from the Texas Senate Committee on Transportation and Homeland
Security on a hearing or combined hearing on Disaster Resilience – lessons
learned regarding disability and disaster and moving forward to integrated,
collaborative emergency management. We also officially requested a reply on
the issue of the loss of AHAS-IN without replacement, the Texas accessible
emergency alerting service for the Texas Deaf community (including
individuals who are deaf, hard-of-hearing, deaf-blind, and late-deafened)
which is a Section 504 violation of the Rehabilitation Act. In light of the
USDOJ vs. Los Angeles decision on February 12 in support of the requirement
for disaster resilience for the entire community regardless of functional
and access needs, the emergency management context has changed throughout
the country.
Our topic at this opening meeting with Chief Kidd is disability and disaster
resilience: lessons learned; brief background on independent living,
resilience, and the ADA Toolkit; and an opening discussion of the Texas
disability community stakeholders and consumer ideas and recommendations for
full partnership with emergency management, public health, and first
responders (EMS/Fire) to enhance disaster resilience and ensure the health,
safety, and dignity of Texans of all abilities. Stakeholders will also be
sharing specific concerns from various sections of the disability community.
Please confirm your attendance at the meeting and forward any accommodations
by Monday, February 21 from 2-3pm. Please indicate how you will be joining
the meeting. Thank you –
Best Regards,
Maggie Elestwani, RN BSN
Collaborative for People with Disabilities