Media Advisory Oct 12 99 PC

Media Advisory - For Immediate Release
Photos from Press Conference

The City of Sparks, Special Projects
For Information Please Contact Bill Isaeff (775) 353-2466
Background | Funded Partners
Project Impact Coordinator's Welcome

WHO / WHAT	The City of Sparks will be awarding Project Impact Partners funding to begin projects designed to make the community more "disaster resistant". The total Project Impact grant awarded to the City of Sparks by the Federal Emergency Management Association (FEMA) is $500,000.
WHEN	Tuesday, October 12^th beginning at 2 p.m.
WHERE CITY OF SPARKS SPEAKERS PARNTER SPEAKERS MUSIC	Victorian Avenue at 10^th Street in the Amphitheater Tony Armstrong, Sparks Mayor Shaun Carey, Acting City Manager Dee Beaugez, Project Impact Coordinator Welcome \| e-mail Leslie Schaffer, Executive Director, American Red Cross, Sierra Nevada Chapter Susan Asher, Executive Director, Nevada Humane Society John Steiner, Merchandise Manager, Sparks Supply One Home Center James Pagels, CEO, Northern Nevada Medical Center Project Impact Jingle Composed by Robert Forman, Executive Producer, Dee Beaugez – Visual Imagry, Inc.

Background
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The City of Sparks, local community partners and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) signed the Project Impact Memorandum of Understanding on Nov. 9^th, 1998.
The City of Sparks was granted $500,000 for Project Impact, to be managed and distributed by the City of Sparks, to fund projects designed to help make the City of Sparks more disaster resistant.

The City of Sparks drafted an amended grant application outlining all Project Impact projects. It was approved August 23, 1999 by FEMA.
During the September 13, 1999 City Council meeting, the City of Sparks approved the amended grant application and voted that the City of Sparks support Project Impact.
The goal of Project Impact is to bring communities together to take collaborative actions that prepare for and protect against natural disasters.

Project Impact is designed to help each participating city build a "disaster resistant" community. It is intended to "mitigate" or protect each community, the residents, organizations, businesses, infrastructure and the stability and growth of its economy against the impact of natural disasters BEFORE they happen.

Funded Project Impact Partners include: the City of Sparks , Nevada Humane Society, Northern Nevada Medical Center, Sierra Nevada Chapter of the American Red Cross, State of Nevada Department of Mental Health, Supply One - Sparks, University of Nevada, Visual Imagry Inc., Washoe County District Health Department and Washoe County Lifeline Utilities

Steering Committee members also include representatives from: American National Insurance, City of Sparks, Eric Loyer AIA, IBM Global Services, Nevada Bell, Nimous Engineers, PetFolio Magazine, Reno Police Department Animals Services Division, Sierra Nevada Chapter of the American Red Cross, Sparks Animal Control, Sparks Fire Department, State of Nevada Department of Agriculture, Washoe County Animal Control, Washoe County Health Department, and Washoe County School District
Media partners include KOH News Talk Radio, Ross Mitchell and the Breakfast Club, KOLO TV 8, and Renegade Radio.
More information about Project Impact can be found on the world wide web at www.disasterplans.com
If anyone wants to become part of Project Impact please contact Ben Hutchins, City of Sparks, at 775-353-1619

Project Impact Funded Partners:
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City of Sparks will be receiving funds to be used for data layering for the existing City of Sparks GPS system and to purchase a back-up power generator for City Hall.
Contact: Ben Hutchins, City of Sparks 775-353-1619

Sierra Nevada Chapter of the American Red Cross and Washoe County District Health Department will distribute 60,000 disaster preparedness materials / brochures, restock informational supplies and distribute 600 senior citizens emergency kits.
Contact: Leslie Schaffer, American Red Cross 775-856-1000

Supply One, Sparks will provide free classes and written materials to the public on how to prepare for an earthquake, flood or fire and provide a FREE tool-lending library to do the job.
Contact: Paul Baldassarre 775-685-8500

Northern Nevada Medical Center will be purchasing a tent to be used for decontamination procedures as required by law for hazardous material incidents and/or mobile first-aid center in case of catastrophic loss.
Contact: Dee Grimm 775-847-0339

Nevada Humane Society will double it’s current holding capacity for animals needing temporary emergency housing by purchasing an emergency tent with supplies and additional transportation and rescue equipment in case of catastrophic loss. They will also develop train-the-trainer emergency response courses.
Contact: Susan Asher 775-331-5770

Lifeline Utilities will conduct a full-day workshop and tabletop exercise for the public and private sector focusing on recovery from a large-scale earthquake in the Truckee Meadows.
Contact: Jim Reagan 775-834-4864

State of Nevada, Division of Mental Health and Developmental Services will train their staff statewide on mitigation measures, develop statewide disaster plan, and conduct tabletop and functional exercises.
Contact: Kevin Crowe 775-684-5970

University of Nevada will be distributing earthquake and mitigation materials and provide each teacher in the elementary and secondary schools in Washoe County with an earthquake safety calendar.
Contact: Diane DePolo, Seismology 775-784-4976

Visual Imagry, Inc. will develop a special disaster preparedness information and educational web site - www.disasterplans.com. Updates will be posted monthly about classes, partners and events. The site will also feature links to FEMA and other disaster preparedness web sites.
Contact: Dee Beaugez - www.disasterplans.com
or e-mail dee@visual-imagry.com

A Request for Proposal (RFP) has been issued by the City of Sparks for a company to provide a vulnerability analysis of City facilities and provide free site assessments and mitigation recommendations for Sparks homeowners and businesses to help make them more "disaster resistant." The mitigation specialist will train custodians of schools, senior centers and hospices on disaster mitigation and post-event assessment.
Contact: Ben Hutchins, City of Sparks 775-353-1619

The City of Sparks has also received funding to hire Dee Beaugez as a part-time Project Impact coordinator. It was her responsibility to help launch the campaign, coordinate the steering committees and to help the City of Sparks with various administrative tasks that had to be completed prior to making the financial disbursements of grant funds.
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Project Impact Coordinator's Welcome Message
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As the project Impact coordinator for the City of Sparks, it has been my responsibility to help launch the Project Impact campaign. I have helped coordinate the steering committees and assisted the City of Sparks with various administrative tasks leading to the disbursements of grant funds.

I have learned that disasters respect no borders, be they neighborhood, city or state. Each one does, however, have a profound impact, not only on these areas, but most importantly on the people who live there.

Project Impact is designed to help protect our community though mitigation, education and open communication. The projects that have been awarded Project Impact funding will begin to help make Sparks a more disaster resistant community.

The vision of Project Impact included communities helping themselves by augmenting Project Impact monies with local services and funding sources. To help with fund raising, my company, Visual Imagry, Inc., has conceived and development a CD featuring original music by composer and musician Robert Forman. The CD, which includes music created especially for Project Impact, will be available in November 1999 through the Sparks Project Impact web site, www.disasterplans.com. The City of Sparks will receive $5.00 from the sale of each CD.
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