Protecting Americaorg

Educating policymakers - activities include:1) submitting comments to state & federal legislative committees concerning state and national preparedness for hurricanes and other disasters;2) providing expert testimony and advocacy on issues of disaster preparedness before state and federal legislative committees;3) providing expert testimony and advocacy on the implications of proposed policies on disaster preparedness before state and federal legislative committees;4) media purchases aimed at disseminating the organizations's key education points among the electorateand policymakers.

Raising awareness - activities include bringing to public attention the issues relating to disaster preparedness, response measures, catastrophe funds, and related matters.

Offering solutions - activities include:1) developing and commenting upon specific proposalsaimed at making american towns, states and regions better able to survive major disasters, and at placing them in a stronger position to rebuild when an event has occurred;2) advocating before state and federal legislatureson behalf of specific proposals designed to enhance disaster preparedness, including creating catastrophe funds, developing disaster response plans, providing equipment and training to first responders, strengthening building codes, and other matters. These proposals address practical preparations(infrastructure, first responders, regional planning),financial management (risk-based catastrophe funds,first responder funding), and other matters.

Educating the public - activities include:1) a national education and advertising campaign that includes full-page media buys in major u.s. newspapers aimed at educating the public about disaster preparedness;2) other media purchases designed to educate the public about the current state of preparedness and what needs to be done to improve the situation;3) public opinion research on the current state of public knowledge and perceptions of national preparedness for catastrophic events, and the publicizing of such results. These activities generally inform the public about the nature of the threat and about what people can do to participate in formulating proactive solutions