January 19, 2007
American Iron and Steel Institute Joins ProtectingAmerica.org
(WASHINGTON, D.C.) -- The American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI), the leading voice for North America's steel industry, joined ProtectingAmerica.org and teamed up with first responders, disaster recovery experts, insurers and small and large businesses in calling for better ways to prepare and protect American families from natural catastrophes. AISI contributes more than 100 years of expertise in safer, stronger building. The organization's priorities include implementing state-of-the-art design and construction practices for catastrophe prone areas; developing educational programs for building inspectors and urging the introduction of insurance and lending programs that promote the use of durable materials. 'The importance of modernized structures, especially homes, can not be understated. Hurricane Katrina left behind 140,000 uninhabitable housing units, a number that could have been greatly reduced with strict building codes and advanced building practices,' said Andrew G. Sharkey, III, president and CEO of AISI. 'Our goal is to ensure that homes, offices, bridges, utility poles and other structures are not only rebuilt, but rebuilt stronger. With enough effort and the help of organizations like ProtectingAmerica.org, we can ensure that unsafe bridges and blue tarp communities are images of the past.'
'The American Iron and Steel Institute is an authority on strong, smart building that will mitigate damage and ultimately save lives when catastrophe strikes,' said Admiral James M. Loy, co-chair of ProtectingAmerica.org. Loy continued, 'ProtectingAmerica.org, with a mission to minimize the impact of a catastrophe through better building codes, expanded disaster preparedness education and reliable funding welcomes AISI's expertise and future contributions to the coalition and its mission.' 'When Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast, the American Iron and Steel Institute was a leader in deploying resources to implement enabling technologies for surviving future storms. Such forward-looking and preventive programs are the epitome of ProtectingAmerica.org's comprehensive solution to prepare and protect America before catastrophe strikes,' said ProtectingAmerica.org co-chair and former FEMA Director James Lee Witt. 'ProtectingAmerica.org's mission is to take steps to minimize the impact of catastrophe through better building codes, expanding disaster preparedness education and establishing stable and reliable funding for first responder programs. We are equally committed to establishing financial mechanisms to ensure that American families have access to the financial resources they need to repair and rebuild in the aftermath of a natural catastrophe,' Witt said. About the American Iron and Steel Institute AISI serves as the voice of the North American steel industry in the public policy arena and advances the case for steel in the marketplace as the preferred material of choice. AISI also plays a lead role in the development and application of new steels and steelmaking technology. AISI is comprised of 32 member companies, including integrated and electric furnace steelmakers, and 125 associate and affiliate members who are suppliers to or customers of the steel industry. AISI's member companies represent approximately 75 percent of both U.S. and North American steel capacity. For more news about steel and its applications, view AISI's Website at http://www.steel.org. About ProtectingAmerica.org
ProtectingAmerica.org was formed in 2005 to lead a concentrated effort to improve the way America prepares for and protects its families, communities, consumers and economy from catastrophe. ProtectingAmerica.org is working to increase public awareness and consumer education, improve building codes, advocate for better land use planning and strengthen first responders. ProtectingAmerica.org supports legislation on the state and federal levels that furthers these efforts and also establishes a financial backstop to help make insurance more affordable and available for consumers. ProtectingAmerica.org currently consists of more than 125 member organizations including emergency management officials, first responders, disaster relief experts, large and small businesses, nonprofit organizations and insurers. ##### |
