Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and Office of Emergency Management (OEM) Commissioner John T. Odermatt today launched a comprehensive emergency preparedness guide entitled Ready New York.  The guide, the first of its kind in New York City since the 1960’s, provides New Yorkers with information they can use to prepare for and respond to hazards and emergencies.  Ready New York was launched at a press conference at Bicentennial Veterans Memorial Park, in Throgs Neck.

“Just as our City agencies are prepared to deal with emergencies on a large scale, individual New Yorkers should be prepared as well,” said Mayor Bloomberg.  “Covering everything from how to deal with extreme heat conditions during the summer to what to do in case of a flood, Ready New York describes many emergencies that could face New Yorkers and provides important information on how to prepare and respond.  All New Yorkers should take advantage of this invaluable information resource.”

“Being prepared can mean all the difference between life and death in an emergency,” said Commissioner Odermatt.  “Ready New York provides the information New Yorkers need to be able to deal with an emergency, no matter what the cause.  Ready New York highlights a three-step approach to emergency preparedness.  New Yorkers need to know what to have in their head: knowledge of their household’s emergency plan; what to have in their hand: an emergency Go Bag, and what to have in their house: an in-home emergency supply kit.”

The culmination of a coordinated effort of over 20 government, private, and nonprofit entities, Ready New York will use television, the Internet, and print to inform New Yorkers of how to prepare and respond to emergencies. The 16-page Ready New York: A Household Preparedness 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.

A first printing of 572,000 copies of the Ready New York: A Household Preparedness Guide will be available at the offices of various city agencies and elected officials, community boards, at public libraries, community and senior centers.  New Yorkers can call 311 to find the nearest location where they can pick up a copy or download it off of the OEM website at www.nyc.gov.   The guide will be available in English, Spanish, Chinese, Haitian-Creole, Korean, Arabic, and Russian.

Joining Mayor Bloomberg and Commissioner Odermatt was Paula Olsiewski of the Sloan Foundation, who was instrumental in the production of the Ready New York: A Household Preparedness Guide and Joseph Castellano, vice-president of Creative Group and Molly Adams, manager of strategic contributions and community affairs at Time Warner Cable of NY and NJ.  The five Public Service Announcements entitled, “What’s a Go Bag?” “What’s in your Go Bag?” and “What’s in your Home Emergency Supply Kit?” feature actors Jerry Orbach and Richard Belzer, and comedian Gilbert Gottfried and Kenny Simmons, and were produced on a pro-bono basis by Elaine Gold and directed by Mark Clark both of Time Warner City Cable with special help from Kenny Simmons, actor and talent coordinator.  The Public Service Announcements will air on Time Warner Cable and various New York City media networks, and are also available on OEM’s website at www.nyc.gov/oem.