| Sparks Nevada
Named Project Imapct "Star Community" by FEMA for 2000! Star Communities Exemplify the Spirit of Disaster Prevention Washington - The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has named Sparks, Nevada, out of a pool of nearly 250 communities, one of ten Project Impact Star Communities in the country . Sparks received the award for the implementation of numerous disaster mitigation projects and for their accomplishments in disaster education and their assistance in the community with measures that can be taken to prevent damage from earthquakes, floods, wildfires and chemical spills. The Project Impact Star Communities award is given out annually to ten communities in the country that exemplify the sprit, innovation and commitment necessary to be a successful Project Impact community. FEMA's Project Impact: Building Disaster Resistant Communities aims to organize and implement mitigation projects throughout the nation as well as educate all Americans about the importance of disaster damage prevention. "Project Impact is about saving lives, protecting property, protecting the economic and social fabric of communities and saving citizens the heartache of disaster," said FEMA Director James Lee Witt. "Communities like Sparks are making great strides in educating and protecting its residents from disasters and shines as an inspiration for other communities to follow." The City of Sparks has over fifty Project Impact Partners that have implemented projects to assist the following segments of the population: - Seniors - Youth - Disabled - Animals - Businesses - General Population The City of Sparks has implemented over twenty projects to date and is currently working on local fundraising efforts to implement other projects related to disaster mitigation and preparedness. "We are pleased to recognize Sparks as a Project Impact Star Community," said Martha Whetstone, regional director for FEMA's Region IX, which includes Nevada. "Sparks exemplifies what every community can achieve when it works together to reduce the devastating effects of disasters." Other communities receiving the 2000 Project Impact Star Communities Award include: § City of Saco, ME § Culebra, Puerto Rico § Roanoke, VA § Charleston County, SC § Urbana, IL § Ouachita Parish, LA § Denison, IA § Morgan County, CO § Kenai Peninsula Borough/Soldotna, AK The Project Impact Star Communities will be recognized on November
15th at the Project Impact Summit 2000 - an annual event that gathers representatives from
cities, towns, state governments, voluntary agencies and corporations to celebrate efforts
to inform American's about disaster prevention measures. The third annual Project Impact
Summit is being held in Washington, DC on November 12-16, 2000 at the Marriott Wardman
Park Hotel. |