Folks..
Check this out
NG9-1-1-1
"The mission of the Emergency Access Advisory Committee is to make recommendations to the FCC regarding policies and practices for the purpose of achieving equal access to emergency services by individuals with disabilities, as a part of the migration to a national Internet protocol-enabled emergency network, also known as NG911.
Letters to the Committee’s Designated Federal Officer (DFO), Cheryl J. King, should be sent to Room 3-B433, Federal Communications Commission, 445 Twelfth Street, SW, Washington, DC 20554. She also can be contacted by email at EAAC@fcc.gov."
" The purpose of the EAAC is to determine the most effective and efficient technologies and methods by which to enable access to Next Generation 9-1-1 emergency services by individuals with disabilities. In order to fulfill this mission, the Communications Accessibility Act directs that within one year after the EAAC’s members are appointed, the Committee shall conduct a national survey, with the input of groups represented by the Committee’s membership, after which the Committee shall develop and submit to the Commission recommendations to implement such technologies and methods."
FCC is seeking comments on emergency procedures. One that I think needed work is the First Responders. If terrible calamity hits area, what to do with the persons with disabled who live in that area. Japan event was a sobering incident that makes us pause and consider our needs in such terrible event.
Hurricane hit New Orleans, and Florida – the warnings and afterwards clearly shows much could be done. I remember the events at the New Orleans; Grant Laird and I contributed in a small way via our blogs to deaf/hoh people seeking which centers to go to. I remember getting many emails and video calls on that from frantic deaf/hoh persons. It was a sobering experience that indicates much needed improvement in First Responders. I hope they have come up with better procedure by now.
Reverse calls that alert people of incoming hurricane, etc. should include VRS? Should include text messaging? Facebook? How? If one of nuclear plant exploded and caused 150 mile radius to be evacuated, how to contact deaf/hoh?
Should FCC consider setting up one central 9-1-1 with video interpreters to serve entire USA? What are the pro and cons of that? Is it even politically possible? Many states do not have state agencies that have full control of regional 9-1-1 centers as many of them are funded by county taxes.
A few states employ text? How effective is that?
If you deaf/hoh have ideas or suggestions, do two things: express ur thoughts via edsalert, AND submit comments to the FCC. One of the above quotes explain how to do that. At any rate, this now has become much more relevant in view of weather catastrophes last few years.
eyes open & thumbs up,
Ed B
Long LInk: http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/dro/EAAC/
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