Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Help Ashley and Boston Fire "Fill the Boot"
On July 11th from noon to 3pm Ashley will assist Boston Fire with a Boot Drive at Faneuil Hall to benefit the Muscular Dystrophy Association. In addition to Ms. Wheelchair Massachusetts 2009 , MDA State Goodwill Ambassador Emma Russell will be there. Entertainment will include bagpipers and an antique fire engine on display.
access/Ability
From now until the end of August the Boston Children's Museum is offering an interactive exhibit called access/Ability
On Sunday July 12th from 11am - noon, Ms. Wheelchair Massachusetts 2009 Ashley Speicher will be available for a "Meet and Greet" at the exhibit. Please bring your family by to check out this informative exhibit and meet Ashley.
From the Boston Children's Museum website
access/ABILITY is a highly interactive, yet sensitive, disability awareness exhibit that delivers the message to visitors that as human beings, we are more alike than different. This unique exhibit presents people living with disabilities as participants in the world and features fun and engaging activities that show the similarities and differences in how each of us with or without disabilities go places, communicate, have fun, and learn. Visitors will have a chance to learn phrases in American Sign Language, type their names in Braille, try a hand-pedaled bike and take part in a multi-sensory City Walk.
On Sunday July 12th from 11am - noon, Ms. Wheelchair Massachusetts 2009 Ashley Speicher will be available for a "Meet and Greet" at the exhibit. Please bring your family by to check out this informative exhibit and meet Ashley.
From the Boston Children's Museum website
access/ABILITY is a highly interactive, yet sensitive, disability awareness exhibit that delivers the message to visitors that as human beings, we are more alike than different. This unique exhibit presents people living with disabilities as participants in the world and features fun and engaging activities that show the similarities and differences in how each of us with or without disabilities go places, communicate, have fun, and learn. Visitors will have a chance to learn phrases in American Sign Language, type their names in Braille, try a hand-pedaled bike and take part in a multi-sensory City Walk.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Public Hearing on Evacuation Chairs for High Raise Buildings
Public Hearing on Evacuation Chairs for High Rise Buildings
Joint Committee on Public Safety June 25, 2009, 11:00 a.m. Room B-2 SB961
- An Act to Improve Safety in High-Rise Buildings
Senator Joan Menard's bill would improve the safety of those with disabilities living in high-rise buildings by requiring that certain buildings have evacuation chairs.
Further information on bill is provided below. You are welcome to testify on your own experiences, especially if you live in a high-rise building.
Please contact Robyn Powell at rpowell@dpcma.org for guidance with your testimony.
An Act to Promote Safety in Multi-story building CHAPTER 148.
FIRE PREVENTION shall be amended by adding Section 26J as follows: Evacuation chairs required in certain residential and commercial structures; regulation; inspections; enforcement Section 26J.
(a) Every dwelling, building or structure, including those owned or operated by the commonwealth, occupied in whole or in part for residential, commercial or non-commercial purposes, that: (1) is over four stories in height or (2) has occupied space above the height of the tallest fire department ladder shall be equipped with approved evacuation chairs on each stair well or evacuation route.
(b) The board of fire prevention regulations shall promulgate such regulations as may be necessary to effectuate this section including, but not limited to, the type, installation, location, maintenance and inspectional requirements of evacuation chairs or evacuation equipment as the board determines appropriate. (More)
RATIONALE
The Disability Policy Consortium met with many people in small groups across the Commonwealth in 2008 to discuss emergency preparedness. One constant concern that was constantly raised by many people was the lack of planning for people who live in high rise buildings. People with disabilities, particularly those in power wheelchairs, feel particularly vulnerable when they live on higher floors above the reach of fire department ladders.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has installed simple, lightweight evacuation chairs in One Ashburton Place to facilitate evacuating people from upper floors. While certainly not a panacea, the availability of evacuation chairs and their live-saving potential can not be underestimated.
Orignally posted by Robyn Powell on the Disability Policy Consortium Page on Faceback
Joint Committee on Public Safety June 25, 2009, 11:00 a.m. Room B-2 SB961
- An Act to Improve Safety in High-Rise Buildings
Senator Joan Menard's bill would improve the safety of those with disabilities living in high-rise buildings by requiring that certain buildings have evacuation chairs.
Further information on bill is provided below. You are welcome to testify on your own experiences, especially if you live in a high-rise building.
Please contact Robyn Powell at rpowell@dpcma.org for guidance with your testimony.
An Act to Promote Safety in Multi-story building CHAPTER 148.
FIRE PREVENTION shall be amended by adding Section 26J as follows: Evacuation chairs required in certain residential and commercial structures; regulation; inspections; enforcement Section 26J.
(a) Every dwelling, building or structure, including those owned or operated by the commonwealth, occupied in whole or in part for residential, commercial or non-commercial purposes, that: (1) is over four stories in height or (2) has occupied space above the height of the tallest fire department ladder shall be equipped with approved evacuation chairs on each stair well or evacuation route.
(b) The board of fire prevention regulations shall promulgate such regulations as may be necessary to effectuate this section including, but not limited to, the type, installation, location, maintenance and inspectional requirements of evacuation chairs or evacuation equipment as the board determines appropriate. (More)
RATIONALE
The Disability Policy Consortium met with many people in small groups across the Commonwealth in 2008 to discuss emergency preparedness. One constant concern that was constantly raised by many people was the lack of planning for people who live in high rise buildings. People with disabilities, particularly those in power wheelchairs, feel particularly vulnerable when they live on higher floors above the reach of fire department ladders.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has installed simple, lightweight evacuation chairs in One Ashburton Place to facilitate evacuating people from upper floors. While certainly not a panacea, the availability of evacuation chairs and their live-saving potential can not be underestimated.
Orignally posted by Robyn Powell on the Disability Policy Consortium Page on Faceback
Voters with Disabilities- Report from Goverment Accountability Office
Voters With Disabilities: More Polling Places Had NoPotential Impediments Than in 2000, but Challenges Remain (GAO-09-685)
What GAO Found:
We found that, compared to 2000, the proportion of polling places without potential impediments increased and the most significant reduction in potential impediments occurred at building entrances. We estimate that 27 percent of polling places had no features that might impede access to the voting area for people with disabilities-up from 16 percent in 2000; 45 percent of the polling places had potential impediments but offered curbside voting; and the remaining 27 percent of polling places had potential impediments and did not offer curbside voting.
While the percent of polling places with multiple impediments decreased significantly from 2000, still a fair number-16 percent-had four or more potential impediments in 2008. The most significant reduction since 2000 was that potential impediments at building entrances-such as narrow doorways-decreased from 59 percent to 25 percent. Most polling places we visited on Election Day 2008 had features in the voting area to facilitate private and independent voting, while some had features that could pose challenges.
Virtually all polling places had at least one voting system-typically an accessible voting machine in a voting station-to facilitate private and independent voting for people with disabilities. However, we found that 29 percent of the voting stations were not arranged to accommodate a wheelchair. Seventy-seven percent of polling places had voting stations with accessible
machines that offered the same or more privacy than stations for other voters, while the remaining polling places had stations that offered less privacy. For example, some voting stations were not positioned to prevent others from seeing how voters using the accessible machines were marking their ballots.
The report is available at:PDF Version:http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d09685.pdf
Accessible text version:http://www.gao.gov/htext/d09685.html
What GAO Found:
We found that, compared to 2000, the proportion of polling places without potential impediments increased and the most significant reduction in potential impediments occurred at building entrances. We estimate that 27 percent of polling places had no features that might impede access to the voting area for people with disabilities-up from 16 percent in 2000; 45 percent of the polling places had potential impediments but offered curbside voting; and the remaining 27 percent of polling places had potential impediments and did not offer curbside voting.
While the percent of polling places with multiple impediments decreased significantly from 2000, still a fair number-16 percent-had four or more potential impediments in 2008. The most significant reduction since 2000 was that potential impediments at building entrances-such as narrow doorways-decreased from 59 percent to 25 percent. Most polling places we visited on Election Day 2008 had features in the voting area to facilitate private and independent voting, while some had features that could pose challenges.
Virtually all polling places had at least one voting system-typically an accessible voting machine in a voting station-to facilitate private and independent voting for people with disabilities. However, we found that 29 percent of the voting stations were not arranged to accommodate a wheelchair. Seventy-seven percent of polling places had voting stations with accessible
machines that offered the same or more privacy than stations for other voters, while the remaining polling places had stations that offered less privacy. For example, some voting stations were not positioned to prevent others from seeing how voters using the accessible machines were marking their ballots.
The report is available at:PDF Version:http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d09685.pdf
Accessible text version:http://www.gao.gov/htext/d09685.html
Ashley Speicher is 23 years old from Lynn, MA. Ashley grew up in Beverly, MA with her younger sister, Lisa, younger brother Jamie and parents Jim and Diane. She lived a normal childhood playing soccer, softball, and cheerleading until May 1996 when she became ill. She was diagnosed with glycogen storage disease, a form of muscular dystrophy (MD). She had a heart transplant on January 4, 1997.
In 2004, Ashley began to use a wheelchair due to weakness in her legs caused by the MD. Since then, Ashley has become an active advocate for people with disabilities. She has spoken on several disability awareness panels and served on the A.D.A./504 committee at her alma mater, Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) where she graduated magna cum laude in 2007.
In 2004, Ashley began to use a wheelchair due to weakness in her legs caused by the MD. Since then, Ashley has become an active advocate for people with disabilities. She has spoken on several disability awareness panels and served on the A.D.A./504 committee at her alma mater, Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) where she graduated magna cum laude in 2007.
Her volunteer work includes travels to Pass Christian, MS and Pecan Island, LA to help with Hurricane Katrina clean-up, serving in the Governor of New Hampshire’s successful re-election campaign in 2006, and with the American Red Cross in 2005. Her awards include the Emerging Leader of the Year (2006) from SNHU and Youth Leadership Award (2007) from Independent Living Center of the North Shore and Cape Ann (ILCNSCA).
For almost two years, Ashley worked at ILCNSCA as a Peer Guide and later as their Community Transition Coordinator. She currently works at Action Inc. in Gloucester, MA and is a volunteer for the New England Organ Bank. She remains committed to giving people with disabilities a voice through voting and participating in the shaping of public policy.
Ashley is available for appearances please contact mswheelchairmass06@yahoo.com for more details.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Congratulations Ashley
Congratulations Ashley Speicher Ms. Wheelchair Massachusetts 2009! To book Ashley for appearances please contact Autumn Grant at mswheelchairmass06@yahoo.com
Thursday, June 18, 2009
June 16, 2009
For Immediate Release
Ms. Wheelchair Massachusetts Foundation Welcomes New Titleholder
The Board of Directors of the Ms. Wheelchair Massachusetts Foundation (MWM) is pleased to introduce our new state titleholder, Ashley Speicher, 23, of Lynn. Ms. Speicher is a committed advocate for persons with disabilities. She graduated Magna Cum Laude with a BA in Political Science from Southern New Hampshire University, and currently works at Action, Inc. in Gloucester. She will travel to South Dakota in August to compete in the national Ms. Wheelchair America 2010 competition.
Ms. Speicher, who originally placed as first runner-up in the state pageant in March, has assumed the position of titleholder after the original winner, Maryan Amaral, was released from her contract.
The Ms. Wheelchair Massachusetts Foundation is a non-profit organizations that seeks to promote the accomplishments of women with disabilities. It is in no way a beauty pageant; rather, it is a competition to select the most articulate spokesperson to communicate the needs as well as the achievements of women who use wheelchairs.
Ms. Wheelchair Massachusetts 2009 Ashley Speicher is available for local apearances and events throughout the state.
Please contact MWM State Coordinator Autumn Grant at mswheelchairmass06@yahoo.com to schedule an appearance.
For Immediate Release
Ms. Wheelchair Massachusetts Foundation Welcomes New Titleholder
The Board of Directors of the Ms. Wheelchair Massachusetts Foundation (MWM) is pleased to introduce our new state titleholder, Ashley Speicher, 23, of Lynn. Ms. Speicher is a committed advocate for persons with disabilities. She graduated Magna Cum Laude with a BA in Political Science from Southern New Hampshire University, and currently works at Action, Inc. in Gloucester. She will travel to South Dakota in August to compete in the national Ms. Wheelchair America 2010 competition.
Ms. Speicher, who originally placed as first runner-up in the state pageant in March, has assumed the position of titleholder after the original winner, Maryan Amaral, was released from her contract.
The Ms. Wheelchair Massachusetts Foundation is a non-profit organizations that seeks to promote the accomplishments of women with disabilities. It is in no way a beauty pageant; rather, it is a competition to select the most articulate spokesperson to communicate the needs as well as the achievements of women who use wheelchairs.
Ms. Wheelchair Massachusetts 2009 Ashley Speicher is available for local apearances and events throughout the state.
Please contact MWM State Coordinator Autumn Grant at mswheelchairmass06@yahoo.com to schedule an appearance.
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