Red Cross, FEMA and Verizon Stress the Importance of Disaster Preparedness, Emergency Communications

 Red Cross, FEMA and Verizon Stress the Importance of Disaster Preparedness,
                           Emergency Communications

PR Newswire

FAIRFIELD, N.J., Sept. 27, 2012

FAIRFIELD, N.J., Sept. 27, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- To mark the end of National
Preparedness Month, representatives from the American Red Cross, the Federal
Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and Verizon gathered on Thursday (Sept. 27)
to stress the importance of disaster preparedness and to highlight the tips
and technological tools available to help people prepare for emergencies or
disasters.

"Disasters can strike quickly and without warning, so it's vital to always be
prepared," said Mathieu Nelessen, regional CEO, American Red Cross North
Jersey Region, at a news conference at the organization's office in Fairfield.
"If you haven't done so already, now is the time to assess local disaster
risks and make or update your family disaster plan." 

Invoking the memories of Hurricane Irene, Tropical Storm Lee and a rare
October snow storm, the American Red Cross discussed the services and aid it
offers residents and businesses across New Jersey and how the Red Cross has
embraced technology to put lifesaving information directly in people's hands,
with the mobile phone apps it has developed for hurricanes, earthquakes and
first aid.

These Red Cross tools make it easier for people to make or update plans. The
American Red Cross Apps for iPhone or Android smartphones help people create a
plan and share it with household members and over social networks. In
addition, a template and instructions to build a plan are available at
redcross.org/npm.

"Preparedness is important to all stakeholders and members of our national
emergency management team; this concern goes all the way to the highest level
of our government," said David Musick, director, National Preparedness
Division, FEMA Region II.  "FEMA is currently implementing a Presidential
Policy Directive concerning national preparedness. This initiative will
involve setting a national goal and developing a national system of
preparedness.  As with any long journey, this national goal will start with a
single step – individual preparedness."

FEMA issued a news release (http://vz.to/QjYQc8) earlier this month
emphasizing the core message of National Preparedness Month -- to be prepared
in the event an emergency that causes anyone to be self-reliant for three days
without utilities and electricity, water service, access to a supermarket or
local services, or maybe even without response from police, fire or rescue
workers.

Preparation starts with four important steps:

  o Be informed about emergencies that could happen in your community and
    identify local sources of information that will be helpful before, during
    and after an emergency.
  o Make a plan for what to do in an emergency.
  o Build an emergency supply kit.
  o Get involved.

Working with FEMA, Verizon conducted a month-long education campaign, using
social media properties including Twitter and Facebook, to share the National
Preparedness Month Toolkit 2.0 – a digital communications toolkit for personal
emergency communications planning (http://vz.to/NoIUHV). Earlier this month
Verizon also shared a list of tips for consumers and small businesses to be
prepared (http://vz.to/PmSgk7).

"Just like the American Red Cross and FEMA, Verizon is always prepared to do
whatever it takes to provide relief," said Paul Sullivan, region president for
Verizon New Jersey.  "At Verizon we do our best to ensure that our customers
stay connected during bad weather, whether is it setting up mobile phone banks
in areas experiencing phone outages or having repair crews work
round-the-clock to restore service for customers impacted by severe weather."

Click here (or go to http://vz.to/Pt29QA) for a short video from Verizon
offering key tips to be ready and prepared in the event of an emergency.

To see related news releases on Verizon's all-hazards approach to emergency
management, click here (http://vz.to/NLyx11); for business continuity tips for
enterprises and government, click here (http://vz.to/Pn1woj).

Also at the news conference, the America Red Cross North Jersey Region
recognized Verizon and its employees for their many years of generous support
to Red Cross disaster relief efforts across the country and around the world.
Most recently, donations by Verizon employees, together with the Verizon
Foundation's match, have helped substantially with Red Cross relief efforts to
those affected by severe spring storms, wildfires and hurricanes in the United
States.         

Verizon's philanthropic entity, the Verizon Foundation, matches employees'
donations to designated relief agencies dollar for dollar up to $1,000 per
employee per year. 

About the American Red Cross
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to
victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation's blood; teaches
skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports
military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit
organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American
public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit
redcross.org or join our blog at  http://blog.redcross.org.

About the American Red Cross North Jersey Region
The American Red Cross North Jersey Region provides programs and services
throughout the counties of Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Hunterdon, Mercer,
Middlesex, Morris, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex, Union and Warren, with a
combined population of 5.7 million. The region trains and mobilizes more than
4,500 volunteers who support the delivery of services in the community. Last
year, the Red Cross North Jersey Region responded to 419 local disasters,
helping 929 families displaced by home fires; collected more than 20,000 units
of blood through blood drives and Red Cross Blood Donation Centers; helped 884
military families send emergency messages, receive financial assistance, and
get counseling and referrals; and trained 143,344 individuals with life-saving
skills in CPR, AED use, first aid and aquatics.

About Verizon

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ), headquartered in New York, is
a global leader in delivering broadband and other wireless and wireline
communications services to consumer, business, government and wholesale
customers.  Verizon Wireless operates America's most reliable wireless
network, with more than 94 million retail customers nationwide.  Verizon also
provides converged communications, information and entertainment services over
America's most advanced fiber-optic network, and delivers integrated business
solutions to customers in more than 150 countries, including all of the
Fortune 500.  A Dow 30 company with $111 billion in 2011 revenues, Verizon
employs a diverse workforce of more than 188,000.  For more information, visit
www.verizon.com.

VERIZON'S ONLINE NEWS CENTER: Verizon news releases, executive speeches and
biographies, media contacts, high-quality video and images, and other
information are available at Verizon's News Center on the World Wide Web at
www.verizon.com/news.  To receive news releases by email, visit the News
Center and register for customized automatic delivery of Verizon news
releases.

SOURCE Verizon

Website: http://www.verizon.com
Contact: Diane Concannon, Red Cross, +1-609-951-2116,
diane.concannon@redcross.org, or Ellen Yu, Verizon Foundation,
+1-908-559-2818, ellen.yu@verizon.com, or Lee Gierczynski, Verizon,
+1-412-215-0434, lee.j.gierczynski@verizon.com, or Esmeralda Diaz Cameron,
Verizon Wireless, +1-908-626-8339, esmeralda.cameron@verizonwireless.com