Five Thousand Americans Will Build Disaster Preparedness Kits

The Allstate Foundation and Points of Light invite families to build kits; offer steps and plan to help all better prepare for a disaster

NORTHBROOK, Ill.

What constitutes a disaster? Certainly hurricanes, tornadoes and wild fires, but disasters also include events like extended power blackouts, house fires or floods. Disasters can happen anytime, anywhere, with little or no warning, but it is possible to be prepared for them. Research from the Federal Emergency Management Agency found that 85 percent of Americans are not prepared for potential disasters, which inspired The Allstate Foundation and Points of Light, the world’s largest organization dedicated to volunteer service, to bring Good & Ready, an online and on-the-ground emergency preparedness program to at least 13 communities, helping prepare thousands of people for disaster.

The Allstate Foundation, through the Good & Ready initiative, is helping build and distribute 5,500 disaster preparedness kits in communities across the country. Whenever possible, kits will be delivered to local nonprofit organizations that assist their communities during disasters. While supplies last, the kits will include a hand-crank radio/flashlight, water bottle, dust mask, garbage bags and hand sanitizing wipes, among other items.

"Everyone wants to know their family and friends are safe during a disaster" said Vicky Dinges, vice president of corporate social responsibility at Allstate. "One of the simplest actions we can all take is to create a kit that includes important documents and supplies to get us through an emergency. Allstate’s disaster preparation kit-building events --happening across the country -- are helping thousands of families and communities be prepared when disaster strikes"

Disaster preparedness events are planned for the following dates and cities:

• July 27: Microsoft Store Plaza, Freehold Raceway Mall, Freehold, N.J.
• Aug. 2: 23rd Annual Houston International Jazz Festival, Bayou Music Center, Houston, Texas
• Aug. 6: Target First Free Tuesday Night, Children’s Museum of Denver, Denver, Colo.
• Aug. 6: National Night Out, The Salvation Army Kroc Center, Grand Rapids, Mich.
• Aug. 17: 28th Annual Family Day in Keney Park Festival, Hartford, Conn.
• Aug. 17: Huey Lewis & The News Concert, Harry Chapin Lakeside Theater of Eisenhower Park, East Meadow, N.Y.
• Sept. 7: Hampton Bay Days, Hampton, Va.
• Sept. 7: Celebrate Natomas, South Natomas Community Center, Sacramento, Calif.
• Sept. 7: Tucson Mall, Tucson, Ariz.
• Sept. 15: Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers 5K Run & Walk, USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park, Mobile, Ala.

Additional events may be added. For information, visit www.AllstateFoundation.org/saferlives.

Good & Ready event participants also will receive disaster preparedness bags with helpful information on how to build their own disaster kits at home.

Good & Ready is supported by The Allstate Foundation and Points of Light Foundation, working in partnership with Ready.gov, the American Red Cross and the Federal Alliance for Safe Homes. The Allstate Foundation’s involvement in the program is part of its new SaferLivesSM program, which provides important safety information to help people be aware of the risks in their lives and protect themselves and their loved ones.

The Allstate Foundation offers the following three steps to help your family prepare for a disaster:

Step 1: Build a disaster preparedness kit
If disaster strikes, you’ll want to have supplies to help you and your family (including your pets)survive for at least three days. Your disaster preparedness kit should contain these basic supplies:

□ Water (one gallon per person, per day)
□ Ready-to-eat, nonperishable food (for family members and pets)
□ Battery-powered or hand-crank radio
□ Flashlight
□ First-aid kit
□ Whistle (to signal for help)
□ Dust mask, plastic sheeting and duct tape
□ Moist towelettes and plastic garbage bags with ties (for sanitation)
□ Wrench or pliers
□ Local maps (to locate emergency services and shelters)
□ Extra batteries

For a complete list, visit www.Ready.gov/build-a-kit.

Step 2: Create a household emergency plan

A household emergency plan should include the following information:

□ Emergency contact names and numbers – mobile and landline (As an extra precaution, everyone in your family should program "In Case of Emergency" or ICE, contacts in their mobile phones so emergency personnel can contact them if needed)
□ Family meeting place in your neighborhood and an alternative meeting place in the region
□ Personal details for each family member (date of birth, important medical information, recent photos)
□ Addresses and phone numbers of the places family members frequent on a regular basis (work, school)
□ Contact information for medical providers (doctors, pharmacist, veterinarian)
□ Important medical and insurance information, including photocopies of your medical insurance card(s)

For a fill-in-the-blank household emergency plan and cards to download, print and keep close at hand, visit www.Ready.gov/make-a-plan.

Step 3: Help your community get ready for a disaster

The strength of a community comes from each person who lives in it. By raising your hand to help your community prepare for a potential disaster, you can help people respond to and recover from an emergency situation.

Visit www.GoodandReady.org, go to the "Resources" page, and then click "Get Trained" to find a disaster volunteer team near you.

About Goody & Ready
Good & Ready is a national collaborative, online and on-the-ground emergency preparedness engagement initiative led by Points of Light, working in partnership with Ready.gov, the American Red Cross and the Federal Alliance for Safe Homes. The Good & Ready partner organizations share one goal: to help 1.5 million Americans be more prepared for disasters by 2015. By empowering individuals, families and communities to volunteer and become better prepared, Good & Ready aims to create a more disaster-resilient nation. For more information, tools, tips and preparedness event resources, visit www.GoodandReady.org.

About The Allstate Foundation
Established in 1952, The Allstate Foundation is an independent, charitable organization made possible by subsidiaries of The Allstate Corporation (NYSE: ALL). Through partnerships with nonprofit organizations across the country, The Allstate Foundation brings the relationships, reputation and resources of Allstate to support innovative and lasting solutions that enhance people’s well-being and prosperity. With a focus on teen safe driving and building financial independence for domestic violence survivors, The Allstate Foundation also promotes safe and vital communities; tolerance, inclusion, and diversity; and economic empowerment. For more information, visit www.AllstateFoundation.org.