FEMA Promising Practice: Engaging Emergency Management Leadership to be Champions of Disability Integration and Inclusive Planning

The Commonwealth of Virginia has learned that a whole community approach to emergency management requires leadership that promotes and champions inclusive emergency planning and disability integration. 

Come hear this webinar covering some of the most significant results of Virginia's approach, including:

• Creation of the Access and Functional Needs Advisory Committee
• Functional and Access Needs Network
• Disability Partner calls during emergency response operations and recovery
• Establishment of Functional and Access Needs Support Teams volunteer programs in partnership with the Medical Reserve Corps
• Ensuring accessibility of shelters and the sheltering program was written in to the job description of the new State Sheltering Coordinator position
• Including access and functional needs considerations in the development of the new statewide sheltering strategy
• Including a certified ADA Coordinator in review of the Commonwealth of Virginia Emergency Operations Plan and Annexes

Learning objectives:

• Learn how leadership can move disability inclusion and integration forward.
• Learn how to turn leadership into champions of change for disability inclusion and integration.
• Learn how state emergency management agencies can lead from the top down with local agencies.
• Learn what leadership needs to be involved and why.
• Learn about what Virginia is doing to ensure equal access to their emergency programs and planning.

Presented by Dawn Brantley, Sheltering Coordinator and Acting Director of External Affairs for the Virginia Department of Emergency Management.