CONTACT
Patricia Demchak Billinger, American Red Cross
Patricia.Billinger@redcross.org
Micki Trost, Colorado DHSEM
(303) 472-4087 | Micki.Trost@state.co.us
MEDIA ADVISORY
Aug. 27, 2013
State of Colorado, Red Cross to Announce Statewide Preparedness Movement
Prepare Colorado Effort Seeks to Save Lives, Reduce Suffering and Losses, Improve Community Resiliency
DENVER, COLO. Aug. 27, 2013 – On Friday, Sept. 6, Colorado Lt. Governor Joe Garcia will join regional leaders from the American Red Cross and the Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management in announcing a statewide “Prepare Colorado” movement to save lives, reduce suffering in the face of emergencies and improve our communities’ ability to bounce back from disasters.
The goal of Prepare Colorado: to make Colorado a national leader in whole-community preparedness.
The Red Cross and its partners in state government will make a call for all sectors of Colorado – public, private and nonprofit – to commit to taking specific actions to increase the preparedness and disaster resiliency of individuals, households, schools, businesses, organizations and governmental agencies in Colorado.
Representatives from FEMA will also participate in the press conference to recognize that “Prepare Colorado” is a great way for citizens to actively take control of their personal preparedness and to speak to how the movement promotes action steps that align with FEMA’s new, national effort, “America's Prepareathon.”
WHAT: Public Announcement of Statewide Prepare Colorado Movement
WHEN: 2-2:30 p.m., Friday, Sept. 6
WHERE: Steps of the State Capitol
WHO: Speakers will include Colorado Lt. Governor Joe Garcia; Gino Greco, CEO of the
American Red Cross of Colorado and Wyoming; Tim Deal, FEMA Region VIII Federal Preparedness Coordinator; and Micki Trost, PIO for the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management.
WHY: Although not all disasters can be prevented, research has confirmed that taking strategic actions to be prepared results in fewer lives lost, reduced loss of property and income, lower impact on the local economy, and a faster, more thorough recovery. Successful preparedness requires the involvement of every aspect of a community, from the homeowner who mitigates her property, to the day care center with an evacuation plan, to the local church that opens as a shelter, to the corner store that remains open to provide re-building supplies and a paycheck for its disaster-affected employees.
Recognizing this need for “whole community” preparedness, the American Red Cross and the Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management are partnering to promote a Prepare Colorado movement that will reach out to and involve all sectors of the community, in all 64 Colorado counties, over the next three years.
Goals of the effort include:
• Increasing access to lifesaving training such as CPR, first aid and disaster preparedness
• Improving business and organizational preparedness and resilience
• Engaging and empowering local community networks to take specific preparedness actions
• Ensuring that at least 2.5 million Colorado households have an emergency plan and kit
• Increasing local disaster response agencies’ capacities to respond to major disasters
• Promoting consistent disaster guidance to the public to enhance their safety before, during and after emergencies.
Resources and information will be available at www.readycolorado.com, www.coemergency.com and www.redcross.org/colorado.
