6 U.S.C. § 321b

Current through P.L. 118-106 (published on www.congress.gov on 10/04/2024)

Section 321b - Disability Coordinator

(a) In general

After consultation with organizations representing individuals with disabilities, the National Council on Disabilities, and the Interagency Coordinating Council on Preparedness and Individuals with Disabilities, established under Executive Order No. 13347, the Administrator shall appoint a Disability Coordinator. The Disability Coordinator shall report directly to the Administrator, in order to ensure that the needs of individuals with disabilities are being properly addressed in emergency preparedness and disaster relief.

(b) Responsibilities

The Disability Coordinator shall be responsible for-

(1) providing guidance and coordination on matters related to individuals with disabilities in emergency planning requirements and relief efforts in the event of a natural disaster, act of terrorism, or other man-made disaster;

(2) interacting with the staff of the Agency, the National Council on Disabilities, the Interagency Coordinating Council on Preparedness and Individuals with Disabilities established under Executive Order No. 13347, other agencies of the Federal Government, and State, local, and tribal government authorities regarding the needs of individuals with disabilities in emergency planning requirements and relief efforts in the event of a natural disaster, act of terrorism, or other man-made disaster;

(3) consulting with organizations that represent the interests and rights of individuals with disabilities about the needs of individuals with disabilities in emergency planning requirements and relief efforts in the event of a natural disaster, act of terrorism, or other man-made disaster;

(4) ensuring the coordination and dissemination of best practices and model evacuation plans for individuals with disabilities;

(5) ensuring the development of training materials and a curriculum for training of emergency response providers, State, local, and tribal government officials, and others on the needs of individuals with disabilities;

(6) promoting the accessibility of telephone hotlines and websites regarding emergency preparedness, evacuations, and disaster relief;

(7) working to ensure that video programming distributors, including broadcasters, cable operators, and satellite television services, make emergency information accessible to individuals with hearing and vision disabilities;

(8) ensuring the availability of accessible transportation options for individuals with disabilities in the event of an evacuation;

(9) providing guidance and implementing policies to ensure that the rights and wishes of individuals with disabilities regarding post-evacuation residency and relocation are respected;

(10) ensuring that meeting the needs of individuals with disabilities are included in the components of the national preparedness system established under section 744 of this title; and

(11) any other duties as assigned by the Administrator.

6 U.S.C. § 321b

Pub. L. 107-296, title V, §513, as added Pub. L. 109-295, title VI, §611(13), Oct. 4, 2006, 120 Stat. 1408.

EDITORIAL NOTES

REFERENCES IN TEXTExecutive Order No. 13347, referred to in subsecs. (a) and (b)(2), is set out as a note under section 314 of this title.

STATUTORY NOTES AND RELATED SUBSIDIARIES

CHANGE OF NAMEAny reference to the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency in title VI of Pub. L. 109-295 or an amendment by title VI to be considered to refer and apply to the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency until Mar. 31, 2007, see section 612(f)(2) of Pub. L. 109-295 set out as a note under section 313 of this title.

State: The term "State" means any State of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and any possession of the United States.
emergency response providers: The term "emergency response providers" includes Federal, State, and local governmental and nongovernmental emergency public safety, fire, law enforcement, emergency response, emergency medical (including hospital emergency facilities), and related personnel, agencies, and authorities.
terrorism: The term "terrorism" means any activity that-(A) involves an act that-(i) is dangerous to human life or potentially destructive of critical infrastructure or key resources; and(ii) is a violation of the criminal laws of the United States or of any State or other subdivision of the United States; and(B) appears to be intended-(i) to intimidate or coerce a civilian population;(ii) to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion; or(iii) to affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination, or kidnapping.
Administrator: the term "Administrator" means the Administrator of the Agency;
Agency: the term "Agency" means the Federal Emergency Management Agency;
emergency management: the term "emergency management" means the governmental function that coordinates and integrates all activities necessary to build, sustain, and improve the capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, or mitigate against threatened or actual natural disasters, acts of terrorism, or other man-made disasters;
tribal government: the term "tribal government" means the government of an Indian tribe or authorized tribal organization, or in Alaska a Native village or Alaska Regional Native Corporation.1 See References in Text note below.