On February 28th, I sent out information on the US Department of Justice's (DOJ) Technical Assistance Guidance on Emergency Management Planning.  I have received information from Robert Cooper, Executive Director of the Kansas Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (KCDHH) that provides more up to date information on emergency management planning for people who are deaf or hard of hearing (D/HH). If you'd like to reach out to Robert for more information or to ask questions, please contact him at [email protected].  

Here is Robert's information. 

This guidance page from DOJ on emergency management may not have included adequate updated information that is essential to state and local governmental emergency management planning. Some of guidance aspects diverge from the Federal Emergency Management Administration's (FEMA) guidance in certain subject areas, especially in area of communication access. Not to mention, if you click on the bottom link from that ADA page where it leads you to more information about communicating effectively with people with disabilities, you will note that latter page contained more up to date information, which did not include TTY while the previous page appeared to put a lot of emphasis on TTY.  KCDHH and its peer partners are able to pin-point the source of information that this new guidance uses might have come from 2003 CEPIN workgroup, which at that time TTY usage was at its peak.  Rather than trying to dissect the guidance, please remember the most important rule of all, each of state and local government entities MUST include authentic representation from the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community in their areas of jurisdiction in all preparation and planning.  KCDHH is available to assist all entities in connecting D/HH representations in their respective localities to participate in the process and evaluating entity’s obligations to Title II of ADA. As always, KCDHH is also available to provide technical assistance if needed.