Communication with People with Disabilities in Disasters

Communication with People with Disabilities in Disasters

12th November, 2013

"Communication with People with Disabilities in Disasters Webinar" is the part of the "Emergency Management and Preparedness - Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities" series of webinars and was held on November 12th.

When disasters strike, accurate and timely information is one of the most important elements for individuals with disabilities to receive. This webinar focused on communicating with people with disabilities during and after an emergency or disaster including warnings, emergency public information, and disaster recovery information using experiences and observations from the May 2013 Severe Weather, Tornadoes, and Flooding in Oklahoma. Best practices, successful approaches, and new technology for communicating with people who are blind or have visual impairments, are deaf or have hearing limitations, or have a cognitive disability will be shared by presenters.

Learning Objectives:

  • Participants will be able to describe the difference between warnings, emergency public information, general public information.
  • Participants will be able to identify successful and unsuccessful communications for the deaf/hard of hearing population during the May 2013 tornados in Oklahoma City.
  • Participants will be able to identify how to get the word out to the blind or visually impaired population of an impending emergency; how to find this population; and best practices in continuing communication after the emergency event.
  • Participants will be able to identify best practices and successful approaches for communicating with people who have a cognitive disability in a disaster.

Presenter:

  • Franklin Barnes - Emergency Manager-Oklahoma City.
  • Vicky Golightly - Public Information Officer, Oklahoma Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped.
  • Stephanie Green Nichols, CI & CT - Executive Director of Sign Language Resource Services
  • Jason Price - Program Manager - Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services.

Archive Materials: