Quotes, Media & Human Interest

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

FIREMAN'S FUND INSURANCE COMPANY LAUNCHES $1 MILLION PROGRAM TO IMPROVE FIRE SAFETY AND PREVENTION IN THE BAY AREA

Grants to Benefit more than 90 Bay Area Fire Departments; Donations Made to Bay Area Community Emergency Response Teams

SAN FRANCISCO, November 30, 2004 - Fireman's Fund Insurance Company, (FFIC) of Novato, California today announced more than $1 million in funding and donations for firefighting equipment, fire prevention tools, firefighter training and community fire safety education throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. The Bay Area is the third metropolitan area to receive grants and donations through Fireman's Fund Heritage, the long-term philanthropic mission of FFIC, which supports firefighters for safer communities.

There are three components to the Fireman's Fund Heritage program in the Bay Area:

• Grants for fire departments - FFIC is awarding 32 individual grants and in-kind donations totaling $925, 000. This funding will impact more that 90 fire departments in the Bay Area, specifically Marin, Sonoma, Napa, Alameda, Contra Costa, Solano, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties. A request for proposal (RFP) was issued in September 2004 to solicit grant requests from fire departments in these counties.
  
  
• Donations to Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Programs - FFIC is donating $100,000 each to the City of San Francisco Fire Dept.'s Neighborhood Emergency Response Team (NERT) and to the City of Oakland Fire Services Agency's Citizens of Oakland Respond to Emergencies (CORE) program. These programs are often referred top as CERT in other communities. CERT programs provide members of the community with hands-on training in disaster and emergency response. Through this donation, FFIC is helping these organizations further the goal of preparing the community for future emergencies.
  
  
• Employee Volunteerism - FFIC employees will have opportunities to volunteer with local organizations focused on fire safety and emergency/disaster preparedness. In 2005, FFIC employees will volunteer with FireSafe Marin and the American Red Cross Bay Area to assist both organizations' efforts to ensure community members are prepared in the event of an emergency.