Wireless RERC - Presentations

Emergency Lifelines Workshop & Tabletop Recap

mz22 — Fri, 06 May 2016 14:00:52 +0000

Publication Type:

Emergency Lifelines Workshop & Tabletop Recap

The Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center for Wireless Technologies (Wireless RERC) hosted an Emergency Lifelines Workshop & Tabletop on April 14, 2016 in Atlanta, Georgia. The Emergency Lifelines Workshop & Tabletop was coordinated by Christina Touzet and held at the Georgia Tech Research Institute Conference Center. Forty-four (44) individuals representing local, state, federal and academic leaders who play a role in emergency communications were in attendance. This one day workshop heightened awareness among stakeholders about the need for accessible emergency communications and feasible approaches to ensure timely lifesaving information from the public safety officials is sent to people with disabilities.

The day began with two panels in the morning. The first panel gave an Update on Federal, State, and Local Emergency Communications, moderated by Helena Mitchell, Ph.D. The panelists included: Charles McCobb, Mary Hudak, and Susan Loeffler. Charles McCobb, from IPAWS - FEMA / DHS, gave an overview of the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) and the common alerting protocol. Charles also discussed the future of emergency notification systems, and leveraging communications pathways via connected devices. Mary Hudak explained the regional level emergency communications operations and specifically how critical it is to engage the “whole community.” In order to engage with the “whole community” it is important to work with independent living centers in each state and offer assistive technology at the disaster recovery centers. “We aim to give the right information at the right time so people can make the right decisions.” Susan Loeffler provided insight on how DeKalb County Emergency Management Agency utilizes Code Red, social media and coordination with local organizations to reach their population of people with disabilities. DeKalb County issues Code Red, however only 5% of the population has opted in; as a result they are in the process of becoming an IPAWS alerting authority. Director Loeffler discussed how critical it is to create an initiative to get preparedness information out in the school system and to reach the kids who will share the information with their parents.

The second panel discussed State and Local Initiatives, moderated by Rick Wimberly, Galain Solutions. The panelists included: Wayne Smith, Betsy Kagey, Ph.D., Jennifer Hogan, and Kay Chiodo. Wayne Smith, Georgia Emergency Management Agency, provided insight about how the state level coordinates with the local level for emergency communications purposes. Betsy Kagey spoke about the Georgia Department of Public Health Emergency Communications initiatives and use of GIS to make responders aware of the medically at risk non-institutionalized population. Georgia has 159 counties and 18 health districts, it is necessary to connect with the populations that do not use social media and also the populations that are homebound. Jennifer Hogan spoke about the Georgia Emergency Preparedness Coalition for Older Adults and Individuals with Disabilities. She provided tips guides to attendees that provide tips for awareness to identify the unique needs of people with disabilities in an emergency. The quick reference provides specific, practical tips for working with people who have a wide range of disabilities. Kay Chiodo, CEO of DeafLink educated the audience on accessible emergency communications and how important it is to incorporate ASL video features into emergency alerts.

Following the two panels, at lunch time, was a poster and demo session for attendees to experience emergency communications research, technology, and additional resources. Demos included: Hamilton/Georgia Relay, FEMA IPAWS, FEMA Region IV, Georgia Emergency Preparedness Coalition, Accessible Weather App, Deaf Link Inc., Wireless RERC Research, and Accessible Wireless Emergency Alerts with ASL video feature, etc.

In the afternoon the Winter Storm Tabletop Exercise – a Discovery & Exploration was facilitated by Thomas Kempton, an emergency management consultant for the Wireless RERC. The tabletop exercise consisted of modules that reviewed different types of winter weather alerts, warnings and watches. Each table was able to discuss each of the modules as a table and troubleshoot different efforts made by agencies in relation to emergency communications. Each table discussed issues that could arise and how to communicate in an accessible manner throughout the alert and warning stages.

This tabletop exercise featured actual NWS generated weather watches and weather warnings for a winter storm in the Atlanta metro area. After presentation of each input the moderator posed a series of questions and each table was given time to discuss and then report out on what their discussions had revealed.

Attendees reported countless benefits from the day, including: greater awareness, networking, expanding horizons, gained knowledge in new areas, learned how to communicate with different agencies, excellent opportunity to learn from other experts and share mutual experiences and lessons learned, learned various challenges related to inclusion of people with disabilities or access and functional needs.

Wirelesss RERC @ The Disaster Response and Mitigation Forum

mz22 — Fri, 29 Apr 2016 13:39:12 +0000

Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA)

Emergency Alert System (EAS)

American Sign Language (ASL)

Symbology

Disaster Response and Mitigation Forum

Publication Type:

Presentations

Salimah LaForce and Christina Touzet presented a poster titled, Emergency Alert System (EAS) vs. Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA), at the Disaster Response and Mitigation Forum held at the Garage @ Tech Square on Fifth on Wednesday, April 27, 2016. The research, conducted by the Wireless RERC and funded by a grant from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR), presented the background and results of research activities that examined the effectiveness of EAS and WEA to provide alerts to people with disabilities. Specifically, the poster included comparative analyses of the awareness of EAS and WEA messages, the accessibility of the two systems, as well as the types of protective actions taken as a result of the emergency messages.

Ed Price demonstrated the Wireless RERC's prototype of a WEA Video Platform that includes IPAWS approved symbology and presents the WEA message content as an American Sign Language (ASL) video.

The goal for the forum was to understand ways in which to advance science and technology to improve disaster response. The Forum featured two panels with federal, state and local agency representatives, as well as speakers from NGOs, industry, and academic researchers. The forum included a reception along with a poster session that focused on technologies and applications that impact disaster response, address cutting-edge research that is being done to meet the challenges of disaster response, cover the latest disaster response policy issues, and address technology gaps that need to be filled to help identify solutions.

Meet Wireless RERC Researchers at CSUN 2016

mz22 — Thu, 11 Feb 2016 18:49:27 +0000

Come meet us in San Diego!

Publication Type:

Presentations

Wireless RERC researchers will be featured at the 2016 International Technology & Persons with Disabilities Conference (CSUN) in San Diego, March 21-26, 2016. The papers/presentations include:

Wireless Independence Now (WIN) Workshop (Wednesday, March 23, 2016 - 10:00 AM PST)
Mixed Sentience Learning Communities: Design Considerations & Opportunities (Thursday, March 24, 2016 - 10:00 AM PST)
Wireless technology use by people with disabilities-2015: A national survey (Friday, March 25, 2016 - 10:00 AM PST)
FutureS of Disabilities: The migration to a digital world (Friday, March 25, 2016 - 10:00 AM PST)
Optimizing Accessibility of Wireless Emergency Alerts: 2015 Survey Findings (Friday, March 25, 2016 - 1:20 PM PST)

Cognitive Impairment Presentation: 2016 Wireless Independence Now! Workshop

blippincott4 — Wed, 22 Jul 2015 15:04:39 +0000

This presentation is part of a group of presentations given during the Wireless RERC and AT&T's consumer outreach workshop, Wireless Independence Now. This presentation focuses on wireless accessibility features found in iOS 9 and Android 6.0 smartphones and tablets. It provides a general overview of accessibility features for consumers with cognitive impairments or learning disabilities.

*Every effort has been made to make this PDF accessible. If you find that it is not accessible, please contact me and I will provide you with an alternate accessible version.

2016 WIN Cognitive.pdf

Visual Impairments Presentation: 2016 Wireless Independence Now Workshop

blippincott4 — Wed, 22 Jul 2015 14:50:00 +0000

*Every effort has been made to make this PDF accessible. If you find that it is not accessible, please contact me and I will provide you with an alternate accessible version.

2016 WIN Vision.pdf

Dexterity Impairments Presentation: 2016 Wireless Independence Now Workshop

blippincott4 — Wed, 22 Jul 2015 14:41:01 +0000

*Every effort has been made to make this PDF accessible. If you find that it is not accessible, please contact me and I will provide you with an alternate accessible version.

2016 WIN Dexterity.pdf

Hearing Impairments Presentation: 2016 Wireless Independence Now Workshop

blippincott4 — Wed, 22 Jul 2015 12:58:30 +0000

This presentation is part of a group of presentations given during the Wireless RERC and AT&T's consumer outreach workshop, Wireless Independence Now. This presentation focuses on wireless accessibility features found in iOS 8 and Android 5.0 smartphones and tablets. It provides a general overview of accessibility features for consumers with hearing impairments.

*Every effort has been made to make this PDF accessible. If you find that it is not accessible, please contact me and I will provide you with an alternate accessible version.

2016 WIN Hearing.pdf

Hearing Impairments Presentation: 2016 Wireless Independence Now Workshop

blippincott4 — Wed, 22 Jul 2015 12:58:23 +0000

*Every effort has been made to make this PDF accessible. If you find that it is not accessible, please contact me and I will provide you with an alternate accessible version.

2016 WIN Hearing.pdf

Presentation Available -- Reaching People with Disabilities: Wireless Emergency Alerting & Accessibility

mz22 — Thu, 16 Jul 2015 13:58:58 +0000

Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA)

Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS)

Publication Type:

Presentations

On June 30, 2015, Wireless RERC researchers Salimah LaForce and DeeDee Bennett, PhD presented results of the 2014 Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) Survey and a Survey of Alert Originators Use of WEA at a webinar hosted by the Georgia Emergency Preparedness Coalition for Individuals with Disabilities and Older Adults. WEAs are a component of the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) under the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), an agency of the Department of Homeland Security. During an emergency, alert and warning officials need to provide the public with life-saving information quickly. IPAWS provides public safety officials with an effective way to alert and warn the public about serious emergencies. However, research has shown that WEAs are not always effective for people with disabilities. This webinar shared information about awareness of and access to WEAs by people with disabilities.

The webinar, produced by the Alternative Media Access Center (AMAC) at Georgia Tech, is one of few to ever provide both captions and American Sign Language (ASL) interpreting for the audience.

Related Files:

Attachment	Size
Wireless Emergency Alerting and Accessibility (2).pdf	1.13 MB

General Disability Presentation: 2016 Wireless Independence Now Workshop

blippincott4 — Fri, 20 Feb 2015 20:10:13 +0000

This presentation is part of a group of presentations given during the Wireless RERC and AT&T's consumer outreach workshop, Wireless Independence Now. This presentation focuses on wireless accessibility features found in iOS 9 and Android 6.0 smartphones and tablets. It provides a general overview of accessibility features for consumers covering a broad group of disabilities - blind/low vision, dexterity, deaf/hard of hearing and cognitive impairments.

*Every effort has been made to make this PDF accessible. If you find that it is not accessible, please contact me and I will provide you with an alternate accessible version.

2016 WIN Blended.pdf