LOS ANGELES, CA: The American Red Cross of Greater Los Angeles announced today it has received a substantial gift from the Annenberg Foundation to establish seven new Emergency Operations Centers (EOC’s) with advanced communications equipment.
The operations centers are part of the Los Angeles chapter’s $10 million capital disaster preparedness program, which will pre-position 80 containers of supplies to provide food and shelter after a catastrophic event. “Given the pressing need for disaster preparedness within Los Angeles, this gift from the Annenberg Foundation is extremely timely and needed,” said Paul Schulz, chief executive officer of the American Red Cross of Greater Los Angeles.
Michael Kleiner, the chapter’s director of Emergency & Disaster and Response added, “These additional emergency centers give us a far better capability to quickly respond to the shelter and clothing needs of Southern Californians after a major quake.”
The Annenberg Foundation exists to advance the public well-being through improved communication. As the principal means of achieving this goal, the Foundation encourages the development of more effective ways to share ideas and knowledge. Its major program areas are education and youth development; arts, culture and humanities; civic and community; health and human services; and animal services and the environment.
About the American Red Cross
The American Red Cross of Greater Los Angeles is dedicated to helping make families and communities safer. A volunteer-led humanitarian service organization, the American Red Cross of Greater Los Angeles responds to an average of 10 disasters a week in 36 cities. The Red Cross provides relief for victims of house and apartment fires, earthquakes, floods hazardous material spills, transportation accidents, explosions and other natural or man-made disasters --- 24 hours a day. Last year, the chapter trained more than 100,000 people in vital life-saving skills. For more information about the Los Angeles Red Cross, please visit www.RedCrossLA.org.
