Government*Horizons and National Organization on Disability's Emergency Preparedness Initiative Present:

Disability and Special Needs Technical Assistance Conference
Understanding the Four Phases of Emergency Management

December 9-10, 2008
San Diego, CA

Registration: 8:00 AM
Program Starts: 8:30 AM
Wrap-Up: 4:30 PM

Course materials, continental breakfast (coffee and pastries) and refreshments included.

About This Conference:

A quadriplegic in New Orleans was found dead in her apartment after making several calls for help during Hurricane Katrina. The California State Independent Living Council (CALSIC) reported several wildfire casualties due to impairments in hearing warnings and seeing the impending flames.

Fatalities such as these are exponential in both natural and non-natural disasters -highlighting the pressing need for change in emergency policy and procedure. Improvement in disability and special needs assistance is essential to decreasing preventable deaths of the disabled population in future emergency situations.

The Disability and Special Needs Technical Assistance Conference will bring together some of the most influential Federal, State, and local experts in emergency management to discuss the processes involved in the emergency management spectrum and describe how special needs issues should be integrated into the four phases of emergency management. This conference will provide in-depth information on the four phases of emergency management: preparedness, mitigation, response, and recovery.

Attendees ranging in responders, advocates, service-providers, incident commanders, and policy makers will collaborate to explore and analyze the myriad of ways in which each phase impacts the both the special needs population and emergency managers. To further expand attendee knowledge on these impacts, a half-day tabletop exercise will be conducted. Through networking breaks between each phase, attendees will have the opportunity to interact with speakers and other attendees to learn and share personal experiences of emergency management for the disabled, including best practices and challenges faced.

Who Should Attend:

• Federal, State, and Local Government Officials
• Emergency Managers and Planners
• First Responders, Law Enforcement, Paramedics
• Military Personnel
• Hospital Administrators and Medical Professionals
• Security Managers
• Disability Service Providers, Policy Makers and Advocates
• Community-Based Service Providers
• Private businesses

To View Previous Attendees Click Here

Previous Attendee Testimonials:

“Well organized, excellent speakers with diverse backgrounds” - Martha Gonzalez, Emergency. Management Coordinator, Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security, Miami-Dade County Government

“Very educational and I feel that it was time well spent.  Thanks for all your hard work.” - Vanessa Lopez, Emergency Management Associate, George Washington University

“Excellent program.  We made a lot of great networking connections and that will help us greatly in 2008” - Neil McDevitt, Program Director, CEPIN

The Larry “Ken” Fisher Scholarship:

Larry “Ken” Fisher was the Operations Section Chief at the New Orleans Emergency Operations Center.  A consistent advocate of the disabled community, Ken worked steadfastly to make sure that the mistakes made during Hurricane Katrina in regards to disabled populations would never be repeated. He was spearheading projects such as the New Orleans Assisted Evacuation Plan and Alert Notifications to the residents of New Orleans with particular attention to those citizens with disabilities.  Ken was a keynote speaker in the January 2008 conference and a good friend of the NOD and Government*Horizons family.  Ken passed away suddenly in July 2008. He was a retired Command Sergeant Major from the Army and was responsible for establishing the Chemical Corps.  He was a true public servant and we all learned many things from him over the last few years.  We will miss him and honor his service to the disability community with this scholarship.

Five technical scholarships are available for this conference.  Scholarships cover the cost of registration fees.  Applicants must submit an abstract (no longer than 1,000 words) about how their community, organization or agency utilized technology in a cost effective manner to meet a need of the disabled community.  Abstracts must be sent to Brian Lake no later than October 17th, decisions will be made by October 31st.  Contact Brian with further questions, blake@homelanddefensejournal.com 703-412-9287 x 225.

Agenda:

To be announced soon

Speakers:

To be announced soon

Sponsors:

Premier Sponsors:
	Compelled by the attacks of September 11, 2001, NOD launched the Emergency Preparedness Initiative (EPI) to ensure that emergency managers address disability concerns and that people with disabilities are included in all levels of emergency preparedness- planning, response, and recovery. In the first few years of the program, EPI became firmly established within the emergency management industry and disability advocacy organizations. Since then, EPI has remained the nationally recognized leader in emergency preparedness for people with disabilities and special needs. EPI Director Hilary Styron and the rest of the EPI staff are continuing their national outreach, education, and awareness efforts to ensure that people with disabilities take measures to prepare themselves for emergencies; to ensure that preparedness officials across the country are including people with disabilities in the planning, training and exercises, and response activities being undertaken at the community level; and to ensure that people with disabilities are themselves taking an active role in participating alongside preparedness officials before, during, and after an emergency. EPI is proud to have established coalitions and working partnerships amongst the emergency management and first responder community, as well as several disability related organizations and their constituents.
Media Sponsors:
	Homeland Defense Journal is the first and most trusted independent monthly magazine dedicated exclusively to covering issues of critical importance to U.S. homeland security and defense. Each month, the industry’s leading journalists and experts provide in-depth coverage and analysis of programs, projects, new initiatives, government funding and innovative products that help keep America safe, strong and secure.

Become A Sponsor:

ATTENTION INDUSTRY AND SOLUTIONS PROVIDERS: Our sponsors and exhibitors will have a unique opportunity to showcase their products and services to leading government decision-makers and leaders. If you would like to learn more about this event and ways in which our market research and media outlets can assist your sales program, please contact Sareth Neak, Manager, Business Development, 703-412-9287 x226.

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