|
Homeland Security
Officer for Civil
Rights and
Civil Liberties to Discuss President's Executive Order on
Safety of Disabled in Emergencies in Live Free TV
Worldwide Webcast
on August 31
Assistive Technology Internet
TV Channel AT508.com on the TV Worldwide Network Expecting
Large On-Line Audience on Tuesday, August 31, 2004 at 2PM
ET
| > |
The
Executive Order President Bush issued on
July 22, 2004, “Emergency" |
| > |
Department of Homeland Security
press release issued on
July 22, 2004, regarding the Executive
Order |
| > |
Statement by President Bush commemorating the
anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities
Act,
July 26, 2004 |
|
| > Message
from Troy Justesen, Department of Education,
disseminating the Executive Order |
TVWorldwide.com, a
fast-growing web-based global TV network, announced that
its AT508.com TV channel for the community of people with
disabilities (www.at508.com)
and its HomelandDefenseTV channel (www.homelanddefensetv.com)
will webcast a free interactive Internet press conference
by Daniel Sutherland, Department of Homeland Security
Officer for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties. Mr.
Sutherland will announce details of President Bush's July
22nd Executive Order intended to increase the safety of
persons with disabilities during emergency situations,
including natural disasters or acts of terrorism. The
initiative established an interagency council to ensure
first responders are cognizant of the particular needs of
the disabled in emergency situations and facilitates
communication between first responders and persons with
disabilities. The order also ensures inclusion of
representatives from the community of persons with
disabilities in planning the strategies for emergency
response. Mr.
Dave Gardy, CEO of TV
Worldwide, will host the show.
The live online audience
will be able to ask questions of Mr. Sutherland via e-mail
- - providing a fully interactive forum for sharing of
information. It is requested that questions submitted by
e-mail be done as far in advance as possible in order to
ensure that they can be addressed during the live webcast.
“The Department of Homeland
Security is committed to including the disability
community in planning for all types of emergencies, both
operationally and through citizen preparedness. People
with disabilities have much to offer all Americans because
they and their families overcome obstacles and
vulnerabilities daily and in times of crisis. They bring
innovation and determination to solving readiness
problems,” said Secretary Ridge.
Daniel W. Sutherland, the
Department's Officer for Civil Rights and
Civil Liberties and
previously a disability rights lawyer at the Department of
Justice, called the President's action “one of the most
significant developments in the area of disability policy
in several years.” Mr. Sutherland noted that, “Since
9/11, the disability community, like many in
America, has
been very focused on preparing for emergencies. This
Council will ensure the coordination of preparedness work
being done across the country, maximize the value of past
efforts and stimulate new work to address the difficult
challenges that face this community.”
"As a long-time developer of
streaming media content for the community of people with
disabilities, we are excited about producing a webcast on
such a vital national issue, both to the community of
persons with disabilities and the first responders who
will be responsible for their safety.” commented
Dave Gardy, Chairman and
CEO of TVWorldwide.com. "We are again honored to be able
to host Mr. Daniel Sutherland, Officer for Civil Rights
and
Civil Liberties, on this important topic.”
The webcast of the event will be available live and
archived in fully accessible format using the captioned
video streaming of TVWorldwide.com's "webcapting" SM
process. The event will be simulcast on AT508.com (www.at508.com),
TV Worldwide's Internet TV channel for the community of
people with disabilities with emphasis on assistive
technology. TV Worldwide's well trafficked
HomelandDefenseTV channel (www.homelanddefensetv.com)
will also webcast the event in fully accessible format.
The live webcast will begin
at
2 PM ET.
Participants should have the latest version of either
Windows Media Player or Real Video Player installed prior
to the event and should log on by
1:45 PM (ET) on
August 31. The live webcast will be made available as an
archived file, shortly thereafter and will be hosted for
one full year at HomelandDefenseTV.com and at AT508.com.
Other archived webcast
programs of interest to first responders as well as
individuals with disabilities include a March 10
announcement by Mr. Sutherland about increased job
opportunities for persons with disabilities within the
Department of Homeland Security and an April 30 panel
discussion on meeting on the needs of the disabled in
emergency situations and strategies for protecting such
individuals -- including the establishment of a curriculum
to train first responders. Both programs are also
available on the websites as archived programming.
On
April 16, 2003,
President Bush appointed Mr. Sutherland to his position at
the DHS where he provides legal and policy advice to the
Secretary and the Department's senior
officers on a full range
of civil rights and civil liberties issues.
Mr. Sutherland has been a
civil rights attorney throughout his legal career, serving
fourteen years with the Civil Rights Division of the U.S.
Department of Justice and nearly two years with the Office
for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Education. Mr.
Sutherland has handled a number of important civil rights
lawsuits. His experience has been primarily in the areas
of discrimination against immigrants and discrimination
against people with disabilities. His litigation includes
cases alleging discrimination by a large urban police
department in its dealings with people who are deaf;
allegations that a licensing authority would not
adequately accommodate test-takers who are blind; and,
allegations of discrimination against refugees from
Vietnam and
the former
Soviet Union.
About AT508.com
TVWorldwide's AT508.com
Internet TV channel was launched in October 2002 at the
World Congress on Disabilities in
Orlando,
Florida, featuring
world-renowned disability columnist John Williams covering
the latest in assistive technology and Section 508 news
and since then has webcast the TASH, ATIA, CSUN and CEC
events for the community of people with disabilities.
AT508.com features articles and videos on the latest in
assistive technology products, services and issues. During
industry trade shows, AT508.com highlights keynotes,
presentations and interviews with exhibitors and speakers.
AT508.com events are webcast live and archived in fully
accessible format using the captioned video streaming of
TVWorldwide.com's "webcapting"SM process.
AT508.com sponsors include The Paciello Group, Keybowl,
HP, textHELP!, Kurzweil Educational Systems, Corda, Deque,
Audio Eye, Sighted Electronics Freedom Vision, the Council
for Exceptional Children and Vcom3D.
About HomelandDefenseTV.com
Homeland Defense TV provides informational
programming and e-learning opportunities on homeland
defense topics for government and corporate security
personnel, first responders and interested citizens. The
programs of homelanddefenseTV.com, a venue for interactive
streaming media e-learning courses, seminars, conferences
and meetings, are sponsored by the University of Findlay
School of Environmental and Emergency Management (SEEM),
Homeland Defense Journal and Homeland Defense Radio. In
addition to streaming video and audio, the site features
relevant printed material and links to sites that provide
additional information. HomelanddefenseTV.com is a
content-rich, comprehensive source of knowledge about
homeland defense, safety and security or emergency
preparedness and response.
About TV Worldwide
As a leading global Internet broadcasting and streaming
media company, TV Worldwide (www.tvworldwide.com)
is developing a network of video channels that is an
affiliation of community-based Internet television
stations, each underwritten by a strategic partner, "aimcasting"
SM to targeted demographic audiences worldwide.
TVWorldwide.com works with strategic partners to develop
the latest in live and archived state-of-the art video
streaming content applications. TVWorldwide.com was
recently named one of the streaming video industry's
"Hottest Streaming Companies” by Streaming Magazine,
www.streamingmagazine.com, and CEO
Dave Gardy was honored by
the magazine as one of the 50 Most Influential People in
Streaming Media. Mr. Gardy currently serves as the
president of the International Webcasting Association (IWA). |
