Upcoming Events
August 12 & 13, 2008 
Conference on Emergency Preparedness for Special Needs Populations at City 
University of New York (CUNY).  
For more information and registration:  Training Exchange
CONFERENCE AGENDA

2008 FEMA Urban Hazards Forum V: 
Conference on Emergency Preparedness for 
Special Needs Populations 



DAY ONE:  Tuesday, August 12

8:30 – 9:00		Registration				Lobby				
			
9:00 – 9:45		Opening Remarks			Auditorium	
			Stephen Kempf, Jr.
      Regional Administrator
      DHS/FEMA Region II

9:45 – 10:00		Special Remarks			Auditorium
      Patricia A. Morrissey, Ph.D. 
      Commissioner of the Administration on 
      Developmental Disabilities

10:00 – 11:00		General Session			Auditorium
All Inclusive Emergency Preparedness: Pediatric Improvements 
and Challenges Which Remain 
 			David Markenson, MD

11:00 – 11:15		BREAK

11:15 – 12:15 		New York State Report Out		Auditorium

12:15 – 1:30		LUNCH (on own; return promptly)

1:30 – 1:45		Special Remarks			Auditorium
			Matthew Sapolin
			Commissioner of NYC Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities

1:45 – 2:45 		New Jersey State Report Out	Auditorium  

2:45 – 3:00		BREAK

3:00 – 4:00		General Session			Auditorium 
Demographics: "Understanding, Motivating and Supporting 
Evacuation with Special Needs Populations" 
      Brenda D. Phillips, Ph.D. 
       


4:00 – 5:00		 General Session			Auditorium
 Special Populations and Disasters:  From the Ground to an      
International Perspective Open Forum 
			 George M. Tokesky and Michael Weston




DAY TWO:  Wednesday, August 13


8:30 – 9:00		Registration				Lobby				
			
9:00 – 9:10		Opening Remarks			Auditorium	

9:10 – 9:30		Special Remarks			Auditorium
      NYC Homebased Care Task Force Overview
      DOHMH and OEM

9:45 – 10:45     	Breakout Topics Round A		Rooms Off Lobby
 	
1. Senior Center/Safe Center: A review of facilities already 
operating in Florida and Alabama 
			Michael Weston and Georgianne Cherry

2. Homebased Care Agencies: An Executive Director’s experience 
during blackouts, 9/11 and killer mold – The importance of COOP 
to continue client care 
Levester Burnley

3. Special Needs Shelter Discharge Planning: Developing an Exit 
Strategy Based on Available Resources
			George Tokesky

4. FEMA Special Needs Unit: Why it came about, what it has 
done, and what you need to know 
      Marianne Jackson, Federal Coordinating Officer, FEMA Region II

5. EMT training overview, “An Introduction to Patients with 
Disabilities” 
			Carina Marzec, et al
			Note:  this session will run once for 90 minutes

10:45 – 11:00		BREAK
11:00 – 12:00     	Breakout Topics Round B		Rooms Off Lobby
			
      Sessions 1-4 listed above to be repeated

12:00 – 1:15		LUNCH (on own; return promptly)

1:15 – 1:30		Special Remarks			Auditorium

1:30 – 2:30		 General Session			Auditorium
       DOJ Toolkit Chapter 7 on Emergency Management 
       under Title II of the ADA
			 Dov Lutzker, Esq. 
 
2:30 – 2:45		BREAK

2:45 – 3:45		General Session			Auditorium
			Implications of Pandemic Influenza for People with Disabilities
      Vincent Campbell, PhD

3:45 – 4:45		General Session			Auditorium
			National Center on Accessible Media – Latest Technology 
      Marcia Brooks



General Points:

We will strive to keep on schedule.  We ask that attendees be prompt and ready for each 
session out of respect for the speakers and each other.  Please arrive on time each day.   

The auditorium is equipped with ALD loop system; CART will be provided; and ASL 
interpreters are available.  We ask that the front rows be available to persons needing 
sight line access to the stage.

Breakout rooms are equipped with an RF ALD system and microphones.  Requests for 
ALD equipment and interpreters must be made at the registration table.

Coffee, tea, and lite food will be available during registration and breaks.  Lunch is the 
responsibility of attendees.  

Literature tables hold materials and documents submitted for attendees to take for their 
own information.  We encourage you to take additional copies after the first day. 

Should any attendee have concerns or experience a need for assistance during the 
conference, please notify any of the staff immediately.