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ECHO PARTNER EVENTS
ECHO Partners: Do not forget to renew your commitment to ECHO! Not a partner yet? Find out how to become one by downloading ECHO Partner FAQ. Important Information on the Switch to Digital Television for ECHO Viewing Audiences By law, all American television stations must switch their broadcasting from analog to digital by February 17, 2009. View or download a public service announcement (video) about the DTV switch in Spanish. View or download a public service announcement (video) about the DTV switch in Hmong. View or download a public service announcement (video) about the DTV switch in Somali. Television sets connected to cable or satellite will not be affected, and will continue to receive programming after that date. But those television sets not connected to cable or satellite, or without a DTV converter box, will not receive any television signal after the date of the switch. What is Digital Television (DTV)? Digital Television (DTV) is an innovative new type of broadcasting technology that will transform your television viewing experience. DTV enables TV stations to provide dramatically clearer pictures and better sound quality. DTV can also offer multiple programming choices, interactive capabilities and data services such as significantly enhanced closed captioning. Why the switch? Under legislation passed by Congress – the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 – free local broadcast television stations are required to turn off their analog channels on February 17, 2009, and continue broadcasting exclusively in the digital format. What are the benefits of DTV? Digital television allows stations to offer a number of new and better services. In addition to providing dramatically better pictures and sound quality, DTV also enables TV stations to provide several channels of programming at once. This is known as “multicasting.” DTV can also be used to provide data services (such as significantly enhanced closed captioning) that are not possible with analog technology. Who will be affected? Consumers who receive free television signals through antennas (rabbit ears) on television sets that are equipped with analog tuners – and who do not subscribe to cable, satellite, or a telephone company service provider – will be affected by the transition. At least 19.6 million households receive only over-the-air signals in their homes, and approximately 70 million television sets are at risk of losing their signals after February 17, 2009, if owners of these sets do not make the easy transition to DTV. How can I switch to DTV? You can make the switch to DTV by following one of three easy steps by February 17, 2009: 1. DTV converter box: Purchase a DTV converter box that plugs into your existing analog set. A converter box will enable you to receive free television reception, and the boxes will be available for purchase in early 2008. At that time, the federal government will provide $40 coupons that you may use toward the purchase of these boxes. 2. New television set: Purchase a new television set with a built-in digital tuner. 3. Paid service: Subscribe to cable, satellite or a telephone company service provider to continue using your analog TV set, if all desired local broadcast stations are carried by that service. What is a DTV converter box? A DTV converter box is an easy-to install electronic device that hooks up to your analog television set and over the air antenna and converts the digital television signal into analog, making it viewable on your analog TV. When can I get a coupon for a DTV converter box? The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) will issue coupons for DTV converter boxes in early 2008. Households will be able to apply for up to two coupons, valued at $40 each, which must be redeemed within three months of receipt. Go to www.ntia.doc.gov for more information. Can I keep my analog TV set? Yes. Buying a new digital television set isn’t the only option you have for navigating the DTV transition. If you wish to continue using your analog set, you must consider one of the following options to make the switch to digital television: 1. Purchase a DTV converter box, which will convert the new digital signal into the analog format for older televisions. 2. Switch to a cable, satellite or telephone company service provider to receive the new digital signal. How do I know if I have an analog or digital television set? To check whether your TV set can receive over-the-air digital broadcast signals, take a look at your owner’s manual or look on the set for an indication that it has a built-in Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) tuner. You can also go to the manufacturer’s Web site and check the capabilities of the set by manufacturer model number. Is HDTV the same thing as DTV? No. HDTV is the highest quality of DTV, but it is only one of several formats. In addition to HDTV, the most common format is Standard Definition Television (SDTV). Consumers who have high definition TV sets may receive free high definition television programming over the air using an antenna. Will I need a special antenna to receive DTV over-the-air? In general, dependable reception of DTV will require the same type of signal reception equipment that currently works to provide good quality reception of analog TV signals. If you currently need a roof-top antenna to receive television, the same antenna generally will be needed to receive DTV.
Get ECHO e-alerts on your cell or mobile phone: A step-by-step guide. In an emergency, ECHO will send alerts by e-mail and to your cell or mobile phone in multiple languages. Find out how you can subscribe to this valuable service! Download the ste-by-step guide here. Minneapolis Emergency Preparedness Director and ECHO Supporter, Rocco Forté, presented with an Award of Excellence Rocco Forté, the Director of Emergency Preparedness for the City of Minneapolis, received an a Award of Excellence by the Minnesota Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (HSEM) for his leadership in the I-35W Bridge Collapse last year. Forté has been a strong advocate of ECHO and its mission to provide life saving information to limited English proficiency populations in Minnesota. “Rocco understands and supports the core mission of ECHO and has aggressively worked to maintain funding for the program,” says Lasamy Mila, a member of Forté’s staff and an ECHO TV host and translator for the Lao Community. Mila also received an award in January 2008 from the City of Minneapolis for her work and commitment to ECHO. “I think that being part of ECHO is very important… we serve as a bridge to close the gap while Minnesota’s newest residents learn English as a second language. In an emergency, the goal of ECHO is to make sure that no Minnesotans are left out, because of barriers of language or culture,” adds Mila who has worked with ECHO since its creation in 2004.
2007 ECHO Notification Test More than 50 ECHO Partners participated in ECHO’s first notification test, August 30th from 2-3 pm. The notification test was NOT a scenario based test but was intended to for the first time, collect some measurable results to help ECHO find ways to improve its emergency communication and outreach to specific limited English proficiency populations across Minnesota. Information was translated for print, broadcast and internet use in up to ten languages. ECHO Partners were asked to tune in to ECHO TV (Minnesota Channel 17 - Twin Cities only), call the phone line (888-883-8831), click on the web site (www.echominnesota.org), and critique the test message. Feedback was collected from partners with detailed results. Highlights of ECHO Test:
To download the 2007 ECHO Notification Test Results click here. WEBINAR ECHO held its first webinar on July 19th 2007 -- “Reaching People with Limited English Proficiency in an Emergency: Integrating ECHO Into Emergency Plans.” 80 registrants signed up and 61 tuned in for the hour long Webinar. Special thanks to the following panelists (and others behind the scenes) for their professional contributions: · Aggie Leitheiser, Director of MDH – OEP · Lillian McDonald, ECHO Exec. Director · Diane Thorson, Otter Tail Public Health · Somly Sitthisay, ECHO Lao Ambassador · Bill Belknap, Hennepin County Public Health If you missed the Webinar or would like to watch it again, click here. ECHO SUMMIT On April 25, 2007 ECHO held a “Partner Summit” attended by 100 participants from local and state public health and emergency management agencies, non-government or community-based organizations, health plans and hospitals. More than a dozen counties were represented including some new partners across Greater Minnesota. Our objective was to explore how partner agencies might work with ECHO to provide information to LEP audiences during a health emergency using which parts or all, of our communication toolkit. It’s an important and challenging next step in ECHO’s development as agencies help us identify a process for activating ECHO so we can deliver consistent information in multiple languages efficiently and in concert with Minnesota’s emergency response system. These partner agencies now are figuring out and formalizing how to best use what ECHO has to offer and integrate that into their respective emergency communication plans. TO HELP OUR PARTNERS CONTINUE THIS IMPORTANT WORK, PLEASE FIND INFORMATION PROVIDED AT THE SUMMIT INCLUDING: Frequently Asked Questions about ECHO Partners (PDF). ECHO Partner Letter of Commitment (PDF) Outreach to LEP populations by Local Public Health Agencies – A Guide (PDF) Emergency Action Plans: Sample Emergency Action Plan (PDF) Blank Emergency Action Plan (Word) Diagrams: Using ECHO in a Message Development and Delivery Cycle (PDF) Sample ECHO Partner Alerting/Promoting Plans (PDF) ECHO Summit Materials: Summit Attendees List – Alphabetical Order (PDF) Summit Power Point Presentation (PDF) Summit Evaluation Form (Word)
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