HISTORY
Project Impact On January 23, 1998, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) designated the City of Oakland as a "disaster resistant" community. This designation is part of Project Impact, a national effort to change the way America deals with disasters. It shifts the focus of emergency management from responding to disasters to reducing hazards prior to disasters in order to minimize potential damage. The underlying premise is to change the way we deal with disasters and better prepare for disasters that we know are coming.
Project Safe In Oakland, a local partnership of government, businesses and private citizens is forming to reduce the costs and consequences of disasters. Known as Project SAFE (Safety And Future Empowerment), the purpose of this community partnership is to ensure that public safety continues to be a top priority. It is the beginning of a vital program to further ensure that businesses and the community will be safer and less prone to damage or losses from major emergencies. That is the goal for creating a disaster resistant community. As a pilot community, Oakland will receive seed monies, support and resources from FEMA to further encourage loss reduction community activities. Current Funding Status The City of Oakland received official award notification on September 29, 1997, that FEMA will provide funds to assist the Disaster Resistant Community program. Seventy-five percent of the City's estimated program costs will be funded by FEMA. The City's partnership match will contribute the other twenty-five percent through direct funding and in-kind services.
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 A Pilot Community Oakland was chosen as one of seven Project Impact communities in the United States in recognition of the continued commitment of our government, citizens and businesses. The six other pilot communities (Allegany County, MD; Deerfield Beach, FL; Pascagoula, MS; Seattle, WA; Tucker and Randolph counties, WV and Wilmington, NC) have also been selected to demonstrate the economic benefits of pre-disaster hazard reduction measures. Partners Some of the Project Impact/Project SAFE partners who have joined in with the City of Oakland and FEMA include the State of California, Chevron, EQE International, Inc., Washington Mutual, the American Red Cross, the Oakland Municipal Chamber of Commerce and Collaborating Agencies Responding to Disasters (the CARD Project, a non-profit organization representing 18 Oakland organizations). See Participants and Partners for a current list.
Activities
Commitments
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