Georgia Emergency Preparedness Coalition - GEPC

10/15/2025

The State ADA Coordinator’s Office and the Georgia Emergency Preparedness Coalition for Individuals with Disabilities and Older Adults are pleased to share a revised and updated version of the TIPS Guide for First Responders. This guide is a quick reference guide that provides specific, practical tips for working with people who have a wide range of disabilities.

For questions regarding the content of this guide, for additional copies of the guide, or for this guide in an alternative format, please contact the State ADA Coordinator’s Office at 404-657-7313 (phone), Georgia Relay Service: Dial 7-1-1 or via email at gaada@gsfic.ga.gov.

10/14/2025

ResCon, the premier annual conference dedicated to resilience and disaster management, is now accepting presentation proposals through Friday, November 7, 2025.

With a growing emphasis on state-driven resilience strategies and the evolving climate of funding and project support, ResCon 2026 will spotlight how these shifts are shaping the future of resilience initiatives.

Consider leading an innovative discussion at this highly collaborative event, all while uniting diverse leaders and driving resilience practices forward.

Important Dates:
Deadline for Proposals: Friday, November 7, 2025
Notification of Speakers: December 2025
Conference Sessions: March 10 – 12, 2026

How to Apply:
Interested presenters are asked to submit presentation abstracts and relevant speaker / presentation information through the online portal which is open through Friday, November 7, 2025.

Questions regarding the conference program should be directed to show management through email: kferguson@mccno.com or kcalabrese@mccno.com

This call solicits speaking and presentation opportunities for conference programming taking place March 10 – 12, 2026 at the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center.

09/22/2025

Each year, the Natural Hazards Center is able to support some of the brightest, most promising people working in hazards and disaster research, policy, and practice to attend the Natural Hazards Workshop (https://hazards.colorado.edu/workshop/2026). This is made possible through three competitive opportunities. Will 2026 be your year? Learn more and apply below!

Mary Fran Myers Scholarship
Deadline: December 1, 2025
The Mary Fran Myers Scholarship recognizes people who share Myers’s commitment to disaster research and practice and have the potential to make a lasting contribution to risk reduction. The winner will receive travel support to attend the Workshop and either the Researchers or Practitioners Meeting that follow. For the 2026 competition, applicants must reside outside North America or the Caribbean.

Disability and Disasters Award
Deadline: December 1, 2025
The Disability and Disasters Award supports people with disabilities working in disasters, as well as those who care for, study, or advocate on behalf of those with disabilities. Award funds will allow the recipient to attend the Natural Hazards Workshop and either the Researchers or Practitioners Meeting. See https://hazards.colorado.edu/awards/disability-and-disasters-award?utm_source=NHC+Master+List&utm_campaign=246cb2ac07-CallforContributions_2019_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_dabc309806-246cb2ac07-54424325

Student Paper Competition
Deadline: January 23, 2026
The annual Student Paper Competition is a way to recognize students focused on hazards and disaster research. One undergraduate and one graduate winner each will receive $250, publication on the Natural Hazards Center website, and free registration for the Natural Hazards Workshop and Researchers Meeting.

Please visit our Workshop Opportunities page to learn more about ways to get involved and support your attendance to the Workshop. Please also forward this email to anyone you would recommend for these opportunities.

We’ll be sending out more information about the Workshop soon, so please update your email preferences to make sure we have your accurate contact information. If you have any questions, please email us at hazards.workshop@colorado.edu.

Sincerely,
The Natural Hazards Center Team

Disability and Disasters Award The Disability and Disasters Award supports people with disabilities working in disasters, as well as those who care for, study, or advocate on behalf of those with disabilities. Award funds will allow the recipient to attend the annual Natural Hazards Workshop and eit...

09/17/2025

Emergency Preparedness: Integrating Access into Business Resiliency and Adaptation Plans

Webinar Date and Time: Thursday, October 16, 2025, from 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM Eastern Time | 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM Central Time.
Register for the Zoom webinar: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/4xuPN7hUTAq903S-2mF_xA #/registration

Description:
Emergencies such as wildfires, power outages, and extreme heat are impacting business operations throughout California. Many businesses adapt quickly to these occurrences by shifting their services, modifying operations, or temporarily transforming them into community support centers. While these pivots are often essential for continuity and community support, they might unintentionally create barriers for individuals with disabilities if accessibility is not considered in the planning process.

In the California Commission on Disability Access (CCDA) final 2025 Lunch & Learn webinar in collaboration with the Pacific ADA Center, we will provide information to help businesses learn how to maintain operational resilience while upholding accessibility during emergencies. The event will provide an overview of emergency preparedness considerations, the role of accessibility in business continuity, and how temporary changes in business functions might impact access for customers and employees with disabilities.
Participants will receive information about relevant legal requirements, practical planning considerations, and available local, state, and federal resources. This webinar is intended for business owners, managers, and professionals that work in operations, facilities, or emergency preparedness.

Accessibility features such as ASL interpretation, captioning, and language access will be provided, with additional accommodations available upon request within 10 days of each webinar.

For help, contact:
Pacific ADA Center
Website: adapacific.org
Email: info@adapacific.org
Phone: 510-831-6714 (Voice/Relay)

Join Us for the Final 2025 CCDA and Pacific ADA Center Webinar! Emergencies such as wildfires, power outages, and extreme heat are impacting business operations throughout California. Many businesses adapt quickly to these occurrences by shifting their services, modifying operations, or temporarily....

09/09/2025

She was the executive director of the Georgia Statewide Independent Living Council. Hearts out for one of our own.

NCIL Mourns the Loss of Shelly Simmons

NCIL passes on our condolences to the State of Georgia and mourns the passing of Shelly Simmons, Executive Director of the Georgia Statewide Independent Living Council.

A giant in the Independent Living community was lost, but her influence and legacy will always remain. Whether it was her ability to lead with compassion, or dedication to every venture she took on, Shelly was a force for individuals with disabilities across the state of Georgia.

NCIL is thankful for Shelly’s work both with our organization and so many others. Shelly has been a NCIL member since 2011, and in 2018 Shelly was awarded the Regional Advocacy Award in Region 4.

Any organization that she touched benefited. Her grace, kindness, and leadership will be remembered, and will continue to ensure that Independent Living Philosophy will benefit many individuals with disabilities in the future.

Memorial Events:

SILC Georgia 30th Anniversary & Tribute to Shelly Simmons: https://bit.ly/3JLOKqN (September 25, 2025)

Memorial Service: Friday, September 12; 11:00 a.m. Eastern
Location: Turner Chapel AME / 492 North Marietta Pkwy NE / Marietta, Georgia 30060

Donations in Shelly’s memory can be sent to: John and Loretta Simmons / 4385 Parkhurst Street SW / Powder Springs, GA 30127

Image: Headshot of Shelly Simmons smiling brightly in an office setting.

08/28/2025

How can immersive tech support disaster readiness? Dr. DeeDee Bennett Gayle, Associate Dean for Research at CEHC, and her team are using VR to revolutionize disaster preparedness.

Backed by a $549K NSF grant, their immersive simulations are helping older adults boost hazard awareness and emergency readiness for older adults. Check out the full story & see how their research is shaping the future of preparedness! ➡️

https://youtu.be/PDpU-YBcUCo?si=Raw6iLuDaX9lxN3i

https://www.albany.edu/news-center/news/2025-disaster-response-researchers-test-virtual-reality-tool-older-adults

The research team received $549,943 from the National Science Foundation to lead a project focused on using virtual reality to reduce disaster vulnerabilities for older individuals and others who are disproportionately affected.

08/26/2025

Resource sharing for the Fall Prevention Task Force’s upcoming virtual Falls Free Friday sessions (10:00am EST). These sessions are open to both professionals and community members.

Sep 5: Dementia, Delirium and Fall Prevention. Register.

Sep 12: Support and Self-Care for the Caregiver. Register.

Sep 19: Defying Gravity? Assistive Technology for Falls Prevention. Register.

Sep 26: Are College Students Too Old for Safety Rails? Don’t Fall for That!. Register.

08/13/2025

08/12/2025

Access to 988 is Available in ASL

Access to crisis services is critical for everyone, and recent updates to the national 988 Su***de and Crisis Lifeline are a major win for the Deaf community. In addition to voice and text, 988 is now directly accessible in American Sign Language, allowing deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals to connect with trained crisis counselors fluent in sign language.

Heartfelt thanks to Zainab Alkebsi with Deaf Equality for sharing this important update and for continuing to champion accessibility in mental health support.

📹 Video credit: Deaf Equality

https://youtu.be/7XVmSQSUi8E?si=T5QLH641IHwzftDw

Video Description: The video opens with an hashtag sign language animation, followed by on-screen text that poses the question: “Is 988 accessible for people who need mental health support?” Zainab Alkebsi, an Arab-American woman with shoulder-length black curly hair, glasses, and a black blazer over a dark grey top with a white-striped neckline, then appears on screen, offering a clear and informative explanation about how 988 — the national su***de and crisis lifeline — has expanded its accessibility. The video concludes with the Deaf Equality logo animation.

Is 988 accessible for people who need mental health support?988 is the national su***de and crisis lifeline. In this edition of our series,...