As part of National Preparedness Month, FEMA will be sending journalists information each week in September to help spread the word about how people and communities can better prepare for specific disasters before they strike.
As we mentioned in the FEMA news release dated September 1, 2015, each week will focus on a different type of disaster. The inaugural week highlights floods and the steps people and communities should take to better weather the storm when it strikes and recover more quickly once it has passed.
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7607931-fema-national-prepareathon/
The recent flooding in Texas means the end of the road for an estimated 7,000 to 10,000 insured vehicles that suffered water damage.
That’s the current estimate from Copart, a company that works on behalf of insurers to handle the vehicles damaged in catastrophes. About 2,500 cars, trucks, motorcycles, RVs and other vehicles have already been towed to one of Copart’s locations, a 200-acre processing facility in Houston.
After a disaster, the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) works with its member companies, law enforcement and companies like Copart to identify the vehicles that have had an insurance claim filed and to process them for sale. All of the cars will be retitled with the Department of Motor Vehicles and the new title will indicate the fact that the vehicle has been flood damaged. Most of the vehicles are sold to parts companies who will dismantle them and re-sell usable parts that were not damaged by the flooding.
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7523152-nicb-texas-floods/
The Ad Council and the Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced the launch of a new public service advertisement (PSA) to raise awareness about the importance of being prepared for emergencies. While the PSA targets all communities, We Prepare Every Day is the first in a series of videos that aim to deliver a strong preparedness message by showing people with disabilities taking charge to prepare themselves and their families for emergencies.
The PSA provides equal access to all viewers and includes open captioning, a certified deaf interpreter, and audio description for viewers who are blind or have low vision.
The launch of the PSA coincides with the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) on July 26, 2015. The ADA prohibits discrimination and ensures equal opportunity for people with disabilities in employment, state and local government services, public accommodations, commercial facilities, transportation and telecommunications. The ADA guarantees the civil rights of more than 56 million Americans.
To view the multimedia news release visit http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7576951-fema-ad-council-emergency-preparedness/
More than 40 U.S. states have some potential for earthquakes. To increase earthquake preparedness, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) encourages all Americans to participate in the Great ShakeOut Earthquake Drill happening on Thursday, October 15, at 10:15 a.m. local time.
“Residents in California aren't the only ones threatened by the potential of a catastrophic earthquake,” said FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate. “From the Cascadia subduction zone in the Pacific Northwest to the New Madrid seismic zone in the South and Midwest, millions of Americans live and travel to areas that can be impacted by a major earthquake. All of us - regardless of where we live - should be prepared by knowing what to do: drop, cover, and hold on.”
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7607931-fema-national-prepareathon/
On January 13, 2019, the Cantor Fitzgerald Relief Fund (“Relief Fund”) directly handed out $1,000 Payoneer® prepaid cards to approximately 4,000 families in Puerto Rico who are still recovering after Hurricanes Irma and Maria devastated the island.
More than 200 volunteers from Cantor Fitzgerald and its affiliate companies BGC Partners and Newmark Knight Frank, along with New York community volunteers and clients from Banco Santander and Scotiabank, distributed $4 million at the Roberto Clemente Coliseum in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
The Relief Fund worked directly with the office of Carmen Yulin Cruz, San Juan Mayor, to organize the effort and identify the families in need.
To view the multimedia release go to:
https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8467851-cantor-fitzgerald-puerto-rico-relief-fund/
A recent Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) survey found that nearly 60 percent of American adults have not practiced what to do in a disaster by participating in a disaster drill or preparedness exercise at work, school, or home in the past year. Further, only 39 percent of respondents have developed an emergency plan and discussed it with their household. This is despite the fact that 80 percent of Americans live in counties that have been hit with a weather-related disaster since 2007, as reported by the Washington Post. With the number and severity of weather-related disasters on the rise, the America’s PrepareAthon! is an opportunity for individuals, organizations, and communities to take action to prepare for specific hazards through group discussions, drills, and exercises.
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7500251-fema-national-prepareathon/
Unprecedented planning by state and local authorities, law enforcement and the insurance industry established what is being called a national model for protecting the public from fly-by-night contractors in the aftermath of a natural disaster.
According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), preparation in advance of the F-5 tornado that devastated the city of Moore and surrounding areas in May 2013 resulted in a well-coordinated effort to ensure that roofers and other contractors who swarmed into the area in the hours and days after the storm were properly licensed, insured and authorized to work in the area.
Local police assisted the Oklahoma Insurance Department Fraud Unit in patrolling the area and keeping suspected fraudulent out-of-state contractors from doing work unless all protocols were followed.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7665251-nicb-limited-fraud-following-2013-moore-tornado/
In honor of Smokey Bear’s 72nd birthday, the Ad Council, the U.S. Forest Service, and the National Association of State Foresters (NASF) launched a new series of public service advertisements (PSAs) that aim to help prevent wildfires nationwide by increasing awareness about less commonly known ways that wildfires can start. The new “Rise from the Ashes” campaign uses wildfire ashes as an artistic medium to illustrate the devastation caused by wildfires and highlight less obvious wildfire causes.
“Education is a critical part of reducing the number of unwanted, human-caused wildfires we experience every year,” said U.S. Forest Service Deputy Chief Jim Hubbard. “We believe that this new iteration of Smokey Bear’s long-running PSA campaign will demonstrate campfires are not the only way to start a wildfire and that Smokey Bear is counting on them to take action to prevent accidental fire starts.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7896651-ad-council-smokey-bear-wildfire-psa/
As the most-visited travel destination in the United States, the Orlando tourism community was quickly up and running post-Hurricane Irma, hosting eager visitors from around the world. Due to a strong tourism infrastructure that hosts an average of 500,000 visitors a day, the region maintains a high level of preparedness for storms and historically resumes operations soon after.
Immediately after the storm, the hospitality industry began quickly clearing debris and returning the destination to normal business operations. Within a matter of days, all of the major theme parks were operational, as were both airports and Orlando’s wide range of attractions, hotels and restaurants.
To view the multimedia release go to:
https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8180451-visit-orlando-post-irma/
In response to the devastation wrought by Saturday’s earthquake and powerful aftershocks in Nepal, the Ad Council has joined the U.S. Agency for International Development’s Center for International Disaster Information (USAID CIDI) to launch a series of television, print and digital public service advertisements (PSAs) encouraging Americans to make financial contributions to disaster relief efforts. The PSAs direct audiences to visit CIDI.org/NepalRelief, where they can contribute to support the short and long-term recovery operations, providing supplies and services to those affected by the earthquake.
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7512851-ad-council-nepal-earthquake-relief/
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced today the winners of the 2017 FEMA Individual and Community Preparedness Awards, recognizing the lifesaving efforts of individuals and organizations from across the country who are working to prepare for emergencies. Each year, FEMA honors individuals and organizations who excel at inspiring the public to be ready if a tornado, hurricane, wildfire, or other disaster were to strike their community.
“We are a stronger, more resilient nation when we work together—in communities large and small—to prepare for and respond to disasters,” said FEMA Acting Deputy Administrator Daniel Kaniewski. “FEMA is proud to recognize the great efforts of individuals and organizations who are helping to create a national culture of preparedness.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8025654-fema-2017-icp-award-winners/
Clayton, one of America’s leading builders of prefabricated homes, has released a new video featuring the story of a family whose Clayton Built® home survived the devastating Category Four Hurricane Michael.
When the hurricane made landfall Oct.10, Darla and Terry’s Clayton Built® home was along its path. The two moved to Mexico Beach, Fla. from Alabama after retirement to be closer to the beach. They originally planned to build a site built home on their newly purchased property, but after learning more about Clayton and touring the company’s Clayton SE Homes home building facility in Addison, Ala., the couple opted to purchase a Clayton Built® home from Clayton Homes of Panama City instead.
To view the multimedia release go to:
https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8335052-clayton-built-home-mexico-beach-hurricane-michael/