Emergency Preparedness for Individuals with Disabilities Presented by Gallaudet University
Presenters Dr. Meloyde Batten-Mickens Executive Director of Facilities, Public Safety & Transportation meloyde.batten-mickens@gallaudet.edu mickens@gallaudet.edu Fabienne Collson Public Safety Communications Manager fabienne.collson@gallaudet.edu Gary El-Gamil VP, Alertus Technologies info@alertustech.com Jason Volk Moderator
About Gallaudet University The world's only university in which all programs and services are specifically designed to accommodate deaf and hard of hearing students Founded in 1864 by an Act of Congress Located in Washington, DC 1,600 students and 1,100 staff of which 45% are deaf or hard of hearing
Principles of Crisis Leadership Gallaudet realizes it is not immune to a wide range of crises, including natural disasters and crimes. Our first concern with every crisis will be the care and safety of all individuals within our community. Gallaudet will be candid and regularly communicate in a timely way with all constituents during a crisis.
Threats & Vulnerabilities There are countless types of emergencies and the appropriate campus and community response often varies based on the nature of the situation. Violent behavior Explosion, aircraft crash, or similar incident Hazardous material incident Earthquake Bomb threat Tornado Fire Utility failure The challenge is how to effectively communicate specific information to everyone quickly and reliably, including those with disabilities.
Emergency Preparedness Guide Avoid using telephones. It is for emergencies only. Unnecessary use of the phone delays delivery of emergency resources with and where they are most needed. If you are a person who has a disability and you will need assistance during an evacuation, contact the Office for Students with Disabilities. Staff members will work with you to develop an individual emergency plan, which will be used to help you during an emergency evacuation. http://www.gallaudet.edu/af/documents/dps_emergency_preparedness_guide.pdf _guide.pdf
Assisting People with Disabilities People who are Mobility Impaired People who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing People with Sight Disability People who are Deaf and Blind or Partially Sighted http://www.gallaudet.edu/af/publicsafety_epgassistingpeoplewithdisabilities.xml isabilities.xml
Communications Solutions What technology infrastructure does Gallaudet have in place today versus a few years ago? What solutions has Gallaudet deployed? How have the systems performed? How does the solution work?
Emergency Notification System The University Notification System is a system that includes several eral methods of notification which are not based on sound. If an emergency occurs, any combination of methods may be used to t communicate about the emergency and procedures to follow. Fire Bell / Strobe Light Alertus Beacons Computer Pop-up Alerts Cable TV interrupt Campus wide email and GallaudetAlert messages Emergency and evacuation signage Orange flags on DPS bicycles and vehicles Person-to to-person messages
Alertus Beacons (wall mounted) External Connections
Fire Alarm Interface
Desktop Alerting Software
Digital Signage Alerting
Activation Software What is the activation process? How easy is it to use? How long does it take to dispatch an emergency alert?
Implementation Process What did the implementation process entail? Were there any challenges? What is the service level for support?
Additional References Gallaudet University Emergency Preparedness Guide http://www.gallaudet.edu/af/publicsafety_emergencypreparednessguide.xml ide.xml US Dept of Justice Disability Rights Office http://www.ada.gov/emergencyprep.htm National Fire Protection Association http://www.nfpa.org www.nfpa.org/disabilities Alertus Technologies http://www.alertbeacon.com
Conclusion & Questions Sponsored by Alertus Technologies Carter Hickman carter@alertustech.com 866.425.3788 ext. 710