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Emergency Preparedness Initiative (EPI)
 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.
For additional EPI program information, please visit the EPI website at www.nod.org/emergency. If you need further assistance please address inquiries to EPI Director Hilary Styron at epi@nod.org.
The work of NOD's Emergency Preparedness Initiative is made possible through the generous support of the following sponsors:
 This unique tool provides an accessible, interactive directory of federal, regional, state, and local disability-related emergency management resources. The map contains information on regional branches of FEMA and ADA&IT Technical Assistance Centers, Governor's websites and state disability resource agencies, a directory of ILCs and SILCs by state, state Citizen Corps and American Red Cross Chapters, as well as links to State and local Emergency Management Agencies.
Click here to view our Interactive Map of Disability & Emergency Preparedness Resources
NOD's Emergency Preparedness Initiative Announces New Partners in Preparedness Project
Date: February 14, 2008
At the request of the Wal-Mart Department of Emergency Management and Wal-Mart Disability Markets and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment Emergency Preparedness and Response Division (CDPHE EPRD), NOD's Emergency Preparedness Initiative (EPI) will be a partner on their upcoming nine-day state-wide preparedness event. During the week of March 1-9, CDPHE EPRD and Wal-Mart will display one personal preparedness kit at each of 79 Wal-Mart stores and Sams Club locations across the state. EPI's Prepare Yourself brochure series for people with disabilities and special needs will be included among the materials Colorado public health and medical volunteers display and distribute to shoppers, as they educate them on the contents of the preparedness kit.
Mississippi: Preparedness, It's Your Turn! Training Program Launched
Date: February 11, 2008
The MS Coalition for Citizens with Disabilities is partnering with the NOD’s Emergency Preparedness Initiative (EPI) to bring an exciting and innovative disaster preparedness program to communities throughout Mississippi. It is funded through the Bush Clinton Katrina Fund as part of the efforts to rebuild stronger communities after the devastating effects of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. This program will be offered in Alabama and Louisiana as well.
EPI will train several people from within Mississippi, and the other partnering states, to bring Preparedness, It’s Your Turn! to members of their community and neighboring communities specifically targeting outreach to people with disabilities and seniors.
EPI Hosts Disability & Special Needs Technical Assistance Conference
Date: January 8-9, 2008
The Emergency Preparedness Initiative, in cooperation with the Homeland Defense Journal, hosted the Disability and Special Needs Technical Assistance Conference from January 8 to 9, 2008 at the Capitol Hilton in Washington, DC. This conference brought together Federal, State, local, and private sector experts to discuss day-to-day challenges in emergency planning and response for people with disabilities and special needs. NOD Chairman Tom Ridge was the Keynote Speaker.
To view presentations from the conference, go to http://www.datacenterconference.com/SpNeedsConf and enter the password 'spneeds08'.
EPI Director Appointed to Serve on the FEMA National Advisory Council
Date: June 20, 2007
On June 19, 2007, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced that NOD Emergency Preparedness Initiative Director Hilary Styron has been appointed to serve on the agency's National Advisory Council (NAC). The Council advises the Administrator of FEMA on all aspects of preparedness and emergency management in an effort to ensure close coordination with its partners across the country. Ms. Styron will serve on the Council representing disability issues in emergency management.
Homeland Security Act Authorizes NOD's Emergency Preparedness Initiative
Date: July 12, 2007
On May 9, 2007, the U.S. House of Representatives today voted to include an amendment, offered by Congressman Jim Langevin (D-RI), in H.R. 1684 — Department of Homeland Security Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008. The Langevin Amendment directs the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Disability Coordinator at the Department of Homeland Security to enter a cooperative agreement with the National Organization on Disability to carry out its Emergency Preparedness Initiative.
The Honorable Tom Ridge: In His Own Words
Date: May 11, 2007
In the April 2007 issue of Homeland Defense Journal, the Honorable Tom Ridge - America's first Secretary of Homeland Security and now Chairman of the Board of the National Organization on Disability - shares his thoughts on disability and emergency preparedness, and how NOD's Emergency Preparedness Initiative is playing a leading role in this area.
Click here for more news and updates related to NOD's Emergency Preparedness Initative
Hard copies of our publications are currently unavailable. However, we encourage you to download and print as many of our publications as you need as they are available on our website in electronic format. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. Please feel free to contact us at epi@nod.org if you are need of further assistance.
PARTNERS IN PREPAREDNESS - Download the EPI Program Brochure in Adobe PDF Format
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EPI Guide for Emergency Planners, Managers & Responders: N.O.D.’s first emergency preparedness guide highlights key disability concerns for officials and experts responsible for emergency planning in their communities. This guide is also designed to help emergency managers, planners and responders make the best use of resources to include all citizens of the community in emergency preparedness plans.
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Prepare Yourself: Disaster Readiness Tips for People with Disabilities: To be better prepared as a nation, we all must do our part to plan for disasters. All individuals, with or without disabilities, can decrease the impact of a disaster by taking steps to prepare BEFORE an event occurs. Check out this pamphlet for useful tips and resources on how to prepare for disasters, or one of the following pamphlets that give disaster readiness tips specific to different types of disabilities:
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Interactive Map of Disability & Emergency Preparedness Resources: This unique tool provides an accessible, interactive directory of federal, regional, state, and local disability-related emergency management resources. The map contains information on regional branches of FEMA and ADA&IT Technical Assistance Centers, Governor's websites and state disability resource agencies, a directory of ILCs and SILCs by state, state Citizen Corps and American Red Cross Chapters, as well as links to State and local Emergency Management Agencies. |
- Preparing Makes Sense Brochure Series: In conjunction with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and AARP, NOD assisted in the development of this brochure series, which highlights the key preparedness steps senior citizens, Americans with disabilities and other special needs, and their families and caretakers should take before emergencies occur.
- Congregations Who Care - Prepare: A joint initiative between EPI and its sister program, the Religion and Disability Program, to help ensure that congregations are prepared to assist people with disabilities in the event of a natural or man-made disaster.
- 12 Months of Preparedness Outreach, Awareness & Education Series: In response to a historically large number of natural disasters and their impact on people with disabilities, EPI launched in 2006 a 12-month Outreach, Awareness, and Education Series to encourage people with disabilities to better prepare themselves for emergencies.
- Special Needs for Katrina Evacuees Project: On October 5, 2005, the National Organization on Disability released the findings of its Special Needs for Katrina Evacuees (SNAKE) Project. In the month of September, SNAKE teams were deployed throughout the Gulf region to perform rapid assessments of the special needs and living conditions of Katrina survivors with disabilities.
- Conference on Emergency Preparedness and People with Disabilities: Virtual binder from the September 2004 disability and emergency preparedness conference, sponsored by N.O.D. and the National Capital Region
- Harris Survey Data: Results from NOD-commissioned surveys on emergency preparedness of Americans with disabilities, conducted by Harris Interactive
- Area Disaster Planning Gets More Muscle: Officials Respond to Criticism of Evacuation Preparedness (Washington Post, September 7, 2007) - View gallery to see EPI Program Officer Betsy Berry in action at a Red Cross shelter survey in Washington, DC
- Disaster Assistance for Summer Storms Nears $39 Million (WIBW.Com, August 31, 2007)
- Lessons of Past Disasters (The Connection, August 29, 2007)
- Gulf Landscape Still Dotted With FEMA Trailers (KWTX.Com, August 29, 2007)
- Katrina anniversary finds thousands still in trailers (The Mississippi Press, August 29, 2007)
- New Orleans making strides to recovery (The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, August 28, 2007)
- FEMA awards some Floridians less than $10 (The News-Press, August 28, 2007)
- United Methodists help lead Hurricane Katrina response (Worldwide Faith News, August 28, 2007)
- Accommodating people with disabilities in disasters: new FEMA reference guide (Continuity Central, August 22, 2007)
- Accommodating People With Disabilities In Disasters: A Reference Guide To Federal Law (FEMA News Release, August 21, 2007)
- Department of Homeland Security Releases New Preparedness Resources For Seniors, People With Disabilities And Pet Owners (DHS Press Release, August 13, 2007)
- Recommendations For Disaster Preparedness Kit (Hawaii Reporter, August 13, 2007)
- Poor Feel Trapped in FEMA Trailers (Associated Press, August 5, 2007)
- Law enforcement gets a lesson on autism awareness (Today's Sunbeam, August 1, 2007)
Click here for more news articles related to disability and emergency preparedness
Disability & Emergency Preparedness Resources - guides, checklists, websites, and more
Emergency managers, planners, and responders can refer to:
Disability-Specific Resources for Emergency Management Professionals
General Emergency Preparedness Resources
Including People with Disabilities in Emergency Planning
Accessible Emergency Communications
People with disabilities can learn about:
Emergency Preparedness for the Disability Community
Preparedness for Seniors with Disabilities
Preparedness for Children with Disabilities
Finding Local Emergency Managers
Service Animal Emergency Preparedness
Resources on Emergency Evacuation from Public Transit
Airline Security and Air Travelers’ Accessibility Rights
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