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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PR- 056-04
March 12, 2004

MAYOR MICHAEL R. BLOOMBERG ANNOUNCES $200,000 DONATION FROM ALCOA FOR READY NEW YORK PREPAREDNESS CAMPAIGN

Contribution Made to the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg today announced a $200,000 grant from Alcoa for use in the Office of Emergency Management’s (OEM) Ready New York preparedness campaign.  With the grant, the Office of Emergency Management will print and distribute an additional 350,000 copies of Ready New York: A Household Preparedness Guide – OEM’s all-hazards preparedness guide launched last summer.  In addition to printing and distributing additional copies of the guide, the Alcoa grant will also go towards an aggressive public awareness campaign focusing on outdoor advertising such as billboards, subways and bus shelters. The $200,000 grant, paid to the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City, is part of a $1.7 million initiative by Alcoa to fund First Responder initiatives in communities around the globe.  The grant given to New York City is the largest grant under their First Responder initiative.  The announcement was made on the Mayor’s Radio Show, Live From City Hall with Mayor Mike and John Gambling on WABC.

“Preparedness is an issue that all New Yorkers must take seriously,” said Mayor Bloomberg.  “With this generous contribution, Alcoa has become an important part of the effort to make sure all New Yorkers are ready for any emergency.  The Ready New York guide is an important resource that we can all use to be prepared for everything from how to deal with extreme heat conditions during the summer, to what to do in case of a flood, to the most serious emergencies that might face New Yorkers.  I thank Alcoa for their generous gift and for proving to be a great corporate citizen.”

“As a new corporate citizen here, Alcoa hopes that this initiative will help make New York even safer,” said Alcoa Chairman and CEO Alain Belda.

The 16-page Ready New York guide provides practical information on natural or man-made disasters, including fires, hazardous materials or chemical spills, outbreaks of severe weather and other events.  It details what every household should have on hand including in a “Go-Bag” (a collection of items one may need in the event of an evacuation), emergency supply and disaster plan checklists and emergency reference cards for all household members.  The guide also describes what provisions pet owners should include for their pets in case of an emergency or evacuation.  To date, OEM has distributed 1 million copies of the Ready New York guide.

New Yorkers can call 311 to find the nearest location where they can pick up a copy of Ready New York or download it off of the OEM website at www.nyc.gov.   To better serve New York City’s diverse population, the guide is available in Arabic, Chinese, English, Haitian Creole, Korean, Russian and Spanish. 

The Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City raises money to promote the general welfare of the City’s residents and aid civic improvements. The Fund supports the work of many City Agencies including Education, Parks, Health, Transportation and Cultural Affairs, and raises funds for many quality of life initiatives. Donations to the Mayor’s Fund can be made by calling 311.

Alcoa is the world’s leading producer of primary aluminum, fabricated aluminum, and alumina. Alcoa is active in all major aspects of the industry - technology, mining, refining, smelting, fabricating and recycling. Alcoa’s aluminum products and components are used worldwide in aircraft, automobiles, beverage cans, buildings, chemicals, sports and recreation, and a wide variety of industrial and consumer applications.







MEDIA CONTACT:


Edward Skyler / Robert Lawson   (212) 788-2958

Jarrod Bernstein   (OEM)
(718) 422-4831




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