Building Relationships with Local Emergency Management
November, 2014 
Emergency Planning Sub-Committee
National Council on Independent Living (NCIL)

Step 1: Identify
- Start with your State Emergency Management & Response Agency, then find city, county/parish agencies.
- Locate volunteer agencies i.e., VOAD (Volunteer Organizations Active in Disasters), CERT (Certified Emergency Response Team), LEPC(Local Emergency Planning Committee) , Red Cross, Salvation Army, faith based and non-government organizations.
- Find out who your Disability Integration Advisor is with FEMA
- Compile a list

Step 2: Get Acquainted
- Review available information for each identified agency to determine their set up & operation, including, and especially, how they handle emergencies for people with disabilities
- Tap into any social media offered, Facebook, newsletters, list serves, twitter and others and sign up to receive any alerts and information
- Contact each by phone or email & schedule a casual meeting (lunch, coffee) w/ the Director or their designee
- Attend training sessions offered by the agency

Step 3: Schedule Meetings
- Determine if the entities have regularly scheduled meetings and/or task forces you can be involved in
- Let them know how they can become actively involved in your CIL or SILC
- Determine if they offer emergency preparedness/response training & how the CIL/people w/ disabilities can get involved

Step 4: Get Involved
- To ensure disability inclusion: Take any training they offer to the public and attend meetings and conferences when possible
- Participate in training offered by your state EMA or FEMA to learn more about various topics
- Offer training to them that the CIL provides, i.e., disability awareness & inclusion