NCD #07-547
November 20, 2007
Contact: Mark S. Quigley
202-272-2004
202-272-2074 TTY
mquigley@ncd.gov

National Council on Disability to Discuss Emergency Preparedness for People with Disabilities at Boston Meeting

WASHINGTON—The National Council on Disability (NCD) will conduct a panel discussion on emergency preparedness at the Hyatt Regency Boston, One Avenue de LaFayette, Boston, Massachusetts, on Thursday, November 29, 2007, from 1:15 p.m. until 2:45 p.m.

Speakers include:

Pat Pound, NCD Vice Chair

Marcia Brooks, WGBH Public Television

Sharon Gamache and Lisa Braxton, The Center for High-Risk Outreach, National Fire Protection Association

Myra Berloff, Massachusetts Office on Disability

The discussion will be followed by a question and answer session.

In 2003, NCD committed itself to evaluating government’s developing role in the areas of homeland security, emergency preparedness and disaster relief. This commitment occurred, in large measure, as a result of the man-made terrorist events of September 11, 2001, and the creation of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. NCD’s first evaluation findings were issued in April 2005 in the report, Saving Lives: Including People with Disabilities in Emergency Planning. (http://www.ncd.gov/newsroom/publications/2005/saving_lives.htm).

Under the Homeland Security Appropriations bill (H.R. 5441) signed by President Bush on October 4, 2006, NCD was assigned key responsibilities for disability-related issues in homeland security.

This panel discussion is part of NCD’s quarterly board meeting, which will be held Thursday, November 29, 2007, from 8:30 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.; Friday, November 30 from 8:30 a.m. until 3:45 p.m.; and Saturday, December 1 from 8:15 a.m. until 11:15 a.m.

Public comment sessions will be held Thursday, November 29 from 4:30 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. and on Friday, November 30 from 1:15 p.m. until 1:45 p.m. A toll-free call in line will also be available to the public during those times. The number is 800-369-1120, and the pass code is NCD Council Meeting. There will also be a reception at the hotel for all meeting participants, audience members, and people with disabilities from the community on Thursday afternoon from 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

NCD is an independent federal agency and is composed of 15 members appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. We provide advice to the President, Congress, and executive branch agencies to promote policies, programs, practices, and procedures that—

(A) guarantee equal opportunity for all individuals with disabilities, regardless of the nature or severity of the disability; and

(B) empower individuals with disabilities to achieve economic self-sufficiency, independent living, and inclusion and integration into all aspects of society.

To carry out its purposes, NCD believes it is vital to hear from communities around the country on what works and what does not for people with disabilities. NCD members and staff are pleased to have the opportunity to visit Boston and learn firsthand about the experiences of people with disabilities from Massachusetts and the surrounding states.

For more information, please contact NCD’s director of communications Mark S. Quigley at mquigley@ncd.gov or by telephone at 202-272-2004.

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Mark S. Quigley
Director of Communications
National Council on Disability
1331 F Street, NW Suite 850
Washington, DC 20004