Panel: Workplace Preparedness for Employees with Disabilities Kevin Curtin, Director USDA TARGET Center Patrick Cokley, Office of Disability Employment Policy, U.S. Department of Labor Moderated by Bruce McFarlane

What is Disability? In an emergency situation, disability may be defined as any person that would need additional assistance in evacuating a building

Planning Processes Widest possible identification Take into account all categories of functional limitations What are you planning for? Think about all phases of emergency: –Planning –Event –Recovery

The Plan for my Agency/Office Developing a plan How have people with disabilities been involved in the process? Have people been invited to self identify –Are they in the room –Do we need to plan for “them?”

Planning Process Include but don’t limit your planning to those who have come forward Conceive how different parts of plan impact people with different functional limitations: –Motor, Dexterity, Vision, Hearing, Cognitive Think about people who may acquire a disability during an incident

What is the Plan? My agency/office The Plan for myself The plan of the building as a whole

The Plan for my Agency/Office How do New Hires and Contractors learn the plan? The Emergency plan as part of the hiring and orientation process

The Plan for Me What do I need to be able to evacuate the building during an emergency? Do I know what the plan is for everyone else? If an emergency happens, will I be able to receive the instructions on what to do?

The Plan for Me Practice on your own Practice during drills Alternative routes of egress

Communications Fire Alarm (auditory/visual) Public Address (PA) System Computer Emergency Notification System (CENS) Text Messaging Paging System Radio Network IPTV Electronic Information Displays Warden Phone System Emergency Information Website Employee Information Line

Evacuation Devices Transportation Chair

Evacuation Devices Evacuation Chair

Evacuation Devices Evacuation Chair

Evacuation Devices Wheelchair

Evacuation Chairs in Action

Evacuation Elevators –Who can use them? –What is the process?

Evacuation Stairwells –Lighting –Signage –Evacuation Chairs

Questions?

Panel: Workplace Preparedness for Employees with Disabilities Kevin Curtin, Director USDA TARGET Center Patrick Cokley, Office of Disability Employment Policy, U.S. Department of Labor Moderated by Bruce McFarlane