FEMA and The Advertising Council Launch New PSA Campaign in Spanish to Encourage Hispanic Americans to Take Steps to Prepare for Emergencies

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 16 /PRNewswire/ -- The Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Ad Council were joined today by Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa to launch a new series of Spanish-language public service advertisements (PSAs) encouraging Americans to take steps to prepare for emergencies.  The PSAs were launched as part of National Preparedness Month and direct viewers to Listo.gov, the Spanish-language extension of Ready.gov.  According to a recent Ad Council survey, nearly six in ten Hispanic Americans have not taken steps to prepare for an emergency.

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"Preparedness is a shared responsibility and we all have a role to play, including the public," said Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano. "These Spanish-language PSAs are part of our ongoing effort to encourage communities across the country to get involved and take a few simple steps now to prepare before an emergency or disaster."

Created pro bono by Hispanic ad agency The Vidal Partnership, the new Spanish TV, radio, outdoor and digital illustrate the importance of preparing today to help reduce the consequences of a disaster tomorrow. The PSAs direct audiences to www.listo.gov, where they will find a downloadable family emergency plan, emergency kit checklists and guidelines on how to better prepare. Users can also access a clickable map to find contact information for state and local government agencies, where they can learn about specific emergency information in their communities. The TV and outdoor PSAs are also available in translated English, and direct audiences to the Ready Campaign website, www.ready.gov.

"The public is the most important member of the nation's emergency management team, and these new PSAs are one of the ways we're reaching out to all members of the community about the importance of preparedness," said FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate. "By taking a few simple steps to prepare your family now, you can help keep them safe during the next disaster."

According to an August, 2010 national survey conducted by the Ad Council of Hispanic Americans, 96% agree (74% strongly agree) that taking some simple steps beforehand to prepare could do a lot to help protect an individual and family in the event of an emergency. However only one-third (34%) say they have a family emergency plan in place in the event of a disaster, and only 42% say that they have actually taken any steps to prepare.  And as a population, Hispanics lag behind the population as a whole on several important preparedness measures.

"In spite of the progress we have made with Listo, our research shows that we need to increase the level of preparedness among Hispanic Americans through educational tools and resources so they will take steps to prepare for potential disasters," said Peggy Conlon, president and CEO of the Ad Council. "Our new PSAs, developed in partnership with FEMA, illustrate the importance of acting in advance so families can avoid being unprepared during a disaster."

The Listo Campaign encourages people to take three simple steps: (1) Get an emergency supply kit; (2) Make a family emergency plan; and (3) Be informed about the types of emergencies that can happen in your area and their appropriate responses. Performing these preparedness steps will help reduce the impact of natural or man-made disasters.

The new PSAs were launched as part of National Preparedness Month at an emergency preparedness fair in Los Angeles, CA. This event was hosted by state and local government agencies, non-profit and private sector organizations.

Launched in 2003, National Preparedness Month is designed to encourage Americans to take steps to prepare for emergencies throughout the year. All National Preparedness Month coalition members agree to distribute emergency preparedness information and sponsor activities across the country that will promote preparedness. This year's National Preparedness Month has engaged more than 3,200 Coalition members and will focus on changing perceptions about emergency preparedness and it will help Americans understand what it truly means to be ready.

The Listo Campaign, also launched in 2003, promotes the same preparedness message as the Ready Campaign.  Over the last seven years, Listo has generated more than $51 million in donated media support, www.listo.gov has received more than 3.2 million visits, and more than 2.7 million people have downloaded the campaign's informational brochure. The Ready and Listo Campaigns have proven to be one of the most successful campaigns in Ad Council's 68-year history. The new PSAs will air in advertising time that will be entirely donated by the media.

FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY

FEMA's mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.

The Advertising Council

The Ad Council (www.adcouncil.org) is a private, non-profit organization that marshals talent from the advertising and communications industries, the facilities of the media, and the resources of the business and non-profit communities to produce, distribute and promote public service campaigns on behalf of non-profit organizations and government agencies. The Ad Council addresses issue areas such as improving the quality of life for children, preventive health, education, community well-being, environmental preservation and strengthening families.

SOURCE The Advertising Council