August 28, 2008 Democratic National Committee Endorses Catastrophe Funds Platform Committee Adopts Language Calling for National CAT Fund Washington – ProtectingAmerica.org, the nation’s leading coalition of first responders, catastrophe experts, and large and small businesses concerned with how America is prepared and protected from natural catastrophes, today praised the action by the Democratic National Committee to include language in its national platform calling for the creation of a national catastrophe fund. 'This is the first time that a national political party has even addressed America’s preparedness for and protection from catastrophe. The action by the DNC echoes the strong bipartisan support demonstrated by the House of Representatives when it passed, by a 258-155 margin, the Homeowners’ Defense Act of 2007,' said David A. Smith, a director of ProtectingAmerica.org. 'There is a growing consensus that America needs a comprehensive and integrated private-public partnership to increase mitigation and education before catastrophe strikes, enhance responsiveness during a catastrophe and assure that the resources are available so homeowners can repair, rebuild and recover in the aftermath of massive natural events like devastating hurricanes and enormous earthquakes,' Smith said. The DNC’s platform was adopted by acclamation on Monday, August 25th. In the section entitled, 'Preventing and Responding to Future Catastrophes,' (pg. 41), the Platform notes: Preventing and Responding to Future Catastrophes We will also work to prevent future catastrophic response failures, whether the emergency comes from hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, tornadoes, wild fires, drought, bridge collapses, or any other natural or man-made disaster….
We will develop a National Catastrophic Insurance Fund to offer an affordable insurance mechanism for high-risk catastrophes that no single private insurer can cover by itself for fear of bankruptcy. This will allow states to deal comprehensively with the economic dislocation of natural disasters.
About ProtectingAmerica.org ProtectingAmerica.org was formed in 2005 and is a non-profit organization consisting of emergency management officials, first responders, disaster relief experts, insurers and others. Its members include the American Red Cross, the International Association of Fire Fighters, more than 300 other organizations and businesses and more than 15,000 individuals from across the nation.
The non-partisan organization is chaired by James lee Witt and Admiral James M. Loy. Mr. Witt served for eight years as the director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Admiral Loy was formerly the deputy secretary of the US Department of Homeland Security and formerly served as commandant of the United States Coast Guard.
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. Among its efforts to support this mission, ProtectingAmerica.org is working to increase public awareness and 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. ### | 
