THE HONORABLE NORMAN Y. MINETA
SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION
CONFERENCE ON EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES
ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA
SEPTEMBER 24, 2004
11:30 A.M
Good afternoon. Thank you, Michael Deland, chairman of the National Organization
on Disability, for that kind introduction, and your wonderful record of
achievement in public service.
It’s an honor and pleasure to be sharing the stage today with Alan Reich,
president of the National Organization on Disability, and Undersecretary of
Homeland Security for Emergency Preparedness and Response, Michael Brown of FEMA.
As many of you know, Michael has been working tirelessly on the rebuilding
efforts in Florida and Alabama. The recent hurricanes and the death and
destruction that they left in their wake are the latest grim reminders that
emergencies do happen.
I was in Pensacola on Tuesday to survey the damage to the transportation
infrastructure, working in conjunction with the Florida Department of
Transportation.
Whether the work of Mother Nature, or terrorists like those responsible for the
horrific attacks on September 11, 2001, we all need to be prepared. I believe
that, as Americans, we are not only up to the task, but that we are all joined
to it, united in a common effort for the common good.
That is why I am so grateful to the Department of Homeland Security and the
National Organization on Disability for bringing us together for this
conference. This is the first time ever that leaders from the emergency
preparedness and disability communities have come together in a truly unique
coalition, a coalition that encourages and empowers Americans with special needs
to prepare for the unexpected.
Under President Bush’s leadership, people with disabilities have gained greater
access to public places. They have more options in choosing their homes, using
public transportation, and getting to their jobs. As people with disabilities
find more opportunities to use their gifts and talents, we become a stronger,
more productive Nation.
Some barriers remain, and as long as they stand, our work is unfinished.
The President’s Executive Order on Emergency Preparedness and People with
Disabilities clearly spells out the responsibilities that federal agencies have
in removing these barriers. At the Department of Transportation, we look forward
to implementing the Order with the same reliability and efficiency that we move
millions of people and tons of goods each and every day.
The truth is, we have already moved the ball when it comes to people with
special needs, whether they’re part of the Federal workforce, or simply visiting
someone who is. For example, at our headquarters in Washington, D.C., we have
emergency evacuation chairs that roll down a staircase to carry someone to
safety if the elevators are out of service.
We provide a pager to people who are hearing impaired. It notifies them if
there’s an emergency message broadcast over the loud speakers, and we have a
fact sheet to help people assist those with intellectual disabilities.
These critically important steps are part of the emergency guidelines that I
implemented on August 12, 2003. The guidelines require that each of our
Operating Administrators account for the unique needs of those with disabilities
in their emergency preparedness plans. What’s more, these measures call for the
full inclusion of people with mental or physical disabilities in the development
of these plans.
We are proud that our Department’s guidelines are consistent with the
fundamental principles of the President’s Order. You see, we recognize that
safe, reliable, and efficient transportation, along with proper planning, are
vital to protecting everyone in the event of an emergency.
To this end, the Department of Transportation will chair a subcommittee of the
new Interagency Coordinating Council on Emergency Preparedness and People with
Disabilities. As the head of the panel, we have set several significant goals,
and I have directed my staff to begin working immediately on these key
deliverables.
First, the Department will develop transportation-related technical assistance
information for people with disabilities, their families, and emergency
personnel. The information will be posted on our Web site at www.dot.gov and
will be linked to emergency sites like www.ready.gov within the next 90 days.
Second, we will assist the Department of Labor in educating other government and
private employers on addressing the needs of their employees with disabilities
and visitors to their facilities. And third, the Department of Transportation
will issue national guidelines on addressing the emergency transportation needs
of people with disabilities.
These measures will be developed in partnership with State, local, and tribal
governments, as well as private-sector employers and disability advocates. I
just have to tell you how proud I am to work at a Department that is a leader in
serving the needs of our workforce.
On any given day, more than 120,000 employees with disabilities go to work in
the national headquarters buildings, regional offices, or field locations that
are owned or leased by the federal government. Each day, thousands more
Americans with disabilities visit these offices to pick up a passport or apply
for Federal benefits.
Their safety, and the safety of all Americans, is of paramount importance.
That’s why we’re having this conference, to guarantee that no one is left behind
in an emergency. Over the past three days, emergency response organizations and
the disability community have come together to exchange crucial information.
We need everyone’s participation if we are to see the day when barriers fall by
the wayside, and all Americans can live productively and safely. On behalf of
President Bush and Vice President Cheney, I want to thank everyone here for your
hard work in this regard.
Thanks again for inviting me to share a few thoughts with you today.
Travel safely. May God bless each and every one of you, and may God continue to
bless America.
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Briefing
Room
