Tallahassee, FL, November, 29 2010 –The Allstate Foundation has partnered with the Capital Area Chapter of the American Red Cross to educate Big Bend community residents to be prepared for and respond to potential disasters such as fires, tornadoes and hurricanes. A $30,000 grant from the Allstate Foundation will help fund the services of the Capital Area Chapter’s Catastrophe Preparedness and Response Program.
“At Allstate, we believe in supporting programs that are going to better the lives of our neighbors, “ said Cathy Crowder, the Allstate Foundation Chair for the Florida Region. “We are honored to partner with the Capital Area Chapter on this vital educational and response program.”
The program focuses on raising awareness amongst all age groups, specifically children, on how to plan, prepare for, react and recover from a multitude of disasters. Services of the program include the Fire Weather House, disaster preparedness classes, response to disasters and financial and health assistance. In 2009, the program aided over 148,000 Big Bend citizens.
The Red Cross Disaster Action Team volunteers respond when tragedy occurs. The Capital Area Chapter provides direct services including shelter, food, clothing and prescription medicine, as well as emotional support. Emergencies include anything from small house fires to large disasters including hurricanes and tornadoes.
“We are grateful for The Allstate Foundation’s generosity and support of the Catastrophe Preparedness Response Program,” said Dan Samborn, CEO of the Capital Area Chapter of the American Red Cross. “This grant will allow us to continue key initiatives and services that have supplied the immediate and long term needs to the Big Bend community.”
Grant funds will also fund the program’s disaster education initiatives for school age children in the Big Bend. The “Fire Weather House”, a mobile trailer, fully equipped to demonstrate both fire and weather safety, provides children with home fire prevention, safety education, and simulates severe weather events such as a hurricane or tornado.
“Those touched by the ‘Fire Weather House’ will have the knowledge and information necessary to influence their families and communities to prepare themselves for natural disasters, and to prevent home fires, said Samborn. “We have already had an instance where a child has helped their family safely escape a fire due to the training that they received from us.”
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