Tuesday, Oct. 23, 2007

Over 10,000 Individuals Join ProtectingAmerica.org to Call for Better Protection Against Future Catastrophes

More than 10,000 individuals from high-risk states last week joined the nation’s largest coalition of emergency responders, businesses, local governments and private citizens in calling for the creation of a program to prepare and protect American families from the devastation of a massive hurricane or widespread earthquake.

The October 10 - 17 membership drive recruited more than 1,000 members from each of ten high-risk states including California, Delaware, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Louisiana, Texas, Connecticut, New York, Florida and Mississippi.

 'Response to ProtectingAmerica.org’s  membership drive was overwhelming, and the message is clear: individuals recognize that their lives, families and property are not adequately protected against catastrophe and are demanding that we as a nation do more to prepare for the worst,' said Admiral James Loy, former deputy secretary of the US Department of Homeland Security and co-chair of ProtectingAmerica.org.

'In a post-Katrina world, Americans have awakened to the fact that they are not immune to the risks of nature.  We applaud our new members for taking action to prepare and protect themselves before the next Big One strikes,' said James Lee Witt, former FEMA Director and co-chair of ProtectingAmerica.org.

At the core of ProtectingAmerica.org’s mission is the establishment of a comprehensive, integrated national catastrophe management solution that will better prepare and protect American families, communities, consumers and the American economy from catastrophe.   ProtectingAmerica.org is working to increase public awareness and enhance consumer education; advocate for better coordination with local, state and federal mitigation and recovery efforts, and strengthen emergency response and financial mechanisms to rebuild after a major catastrophe.

The organization supports comprehensive federal legislation that would establish a privately financed national catastrophe fund that would serve as a backstop to state catastrophe funds.  The funds’ private deposits and the majority of its earnings could only be used to cover replacement and rebuilding costs following major catastrophic events.  A portion of the funds’ earnings would be dedicated to increase public and consumer education, strengthen first responders, and enhance building codes and their enforcement.

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