Executive Order 13347 - “Individuals with Disabilities in Emergency Preparedness”
In July of 2004, President George W. Bush issued Executive Order 13347, “Individuals with Disabilities in Emergency Preparedness” to ensure that the federal government appropriately supports safety and security for individuals with disabilities in situations involving disasters. The Executive Order created the Interagency Coordinating Council on Emergency Preparedness and Individuals with Disabilities in the Department of Homeland Security to coordinate implementation by agencies of the policy.
FEMA Resources
Office of Disability Integration and Coordination
The Office of Disability Integration and Coordination was created within FEMA’s administration in 2009 to facilitate integration of emergency response and recovery planning and coordination for people with disabilities and functional needs at all levels.
Comprehensive Preparedness Guide (CPG 101, version 2)
In 2010, FEMA revised its guidance for state and local emergency planning to include those with access and functional needs as part of its emphasis on creating emergency plans for the whole community. FEMA regional offices are now staffed with disability integration specialists to assist states and local governments within the regions with planning and response resources for people with access and functional needs.
Functional Needs Support Services.
Guidance on Planning for Integration of Functional Needs Support Services in General Population Shelters. This document provides guidance to assist emergency managers and shelter planners from government, non-government and faith-based organizations in understanding the requirements related to sheltering children and adults with functional support needs in general population shelters.
IPAWS: Alerting the Whole Community: Removing Barriers to AlertingFEMA has published a paper addressing the issues and challenges of alerting accessibility through FEMA’s Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) and how they can be overcome. It discusses how IPAWS addresses the challenges of reaching the whole community, including that portion of the population who might need assistance.
Read the report here. Accessibility
Department of Justice Resources
ADA Best Practices Toolkit for State and Local Governments
The Department of Justice released the ADA Best Practices Toolkit for State and Local Governments in 2007. Chapter 7 of the toolkit contains specific guidance for state and local emergency management programs, Chapter 3 details requirements for Effective Communication and Chapter 5 addresses Web site accessibility.
