Brace Up Oakland: How to Get #GoodandReady for Disaster

OAKLAND, Calif. - Aug. 18, 2015 - PRLog -- Free disaster kit building at Oakland Chinatown StreetFest 2015

August 18, 2015 – OAKLAND, Ca. – Oakland and Bay Area residents who live along the water, among the hills, in the city proper or anywhere, are all urged to learn life-saving tips and build a free disaster preparedness kit with the ‘Good and Ready’ disaster preparedness tour currently underway. The Allstate Foundation and Points of Light will host a disaster preparedness booth at the Oakland Chinatown StreetFest, on Saturday, August 22, 2015, from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Research shows 85 percent of Americans are unprepared for disaster and nearly half lack emergency supplies for use in the event of a disaster. To raise awareness about the importance of disaster preparedness, The Allstate Foundation and Points of Light, the world’s largest organization dedicated to volunteer service, launched a 14-city educational tour to help Americans get ‘Good and Ready.’ The location of Oakland and Bay Area cities along the San Andreas fault system makes it prime for raising disaster awareness. Just last year, Napa Valley suffered damage from an earthquake registering less than magnitude 6. Moreover, a recent New Yorker (http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/07/20/the-really-b...) article points to a particularly ominous earthquake threat that could devastate sections of California and the Pacific Northwest.

“Nobody wants our area to be hit with another strong earthquake or other disaster,” says Francis Lan, a local Allstate agent. “But we cannot afford to ignore the likelihood of them happening. While we cannot control disasters, we can become as informed as possible about ways to stay safe when they occur. The ‘Good and Ready’ tour gives Oakland and Bay Area residents vital information to do just that.”

Oakland was selected for the tour stop given its proximity to the devastating Loma Prieta earthquake and to last year’s Napa quake. The Hayward fault line, one of four comprising the San Andreas’s fault system, remains a looming threat.

The ‘Good and Ready’ booth will increase residents’ knowledge about what to do in a disaster. Community volunteers with HandsOn Bay Area, a Points of Light affiliate, will work side-by-side with local Allstate agents to share information and help people build free disaster preparedness kits.

“Oakland is a beautiful city of sprawling redwoods, mixed terrain and coastal waterways, and is prone to high-magnitude earthquakes and other disasters,” says Jonny Volan, program director at HandsOn Bay Area. “We are excited about participating at this event in Oakland and teaching residents what they can do to prepare for the unexpected.”

Learn more about the disaster preparedness tour and education campaign at www.goodandready.org. Residents can track campaign activities on Twitter using #GoodandReady on the day of the festival.

About HandsOn Bay Area

HandsOn Bay is a volunteer organization in San Francisco committed to providing volunteering support for a variety of issues impacting, children, communities, and residents.  For more information, visit www.handsonbayarea.org

About The Allstate Foundation

The Allstate Foundation brings the relationships, reputation and resources of Allstate to support innovative and lasting solutions that enhance people's well-being and prosperity. For more than 60 years, The Allstate Foundation has created practical, proven programs for thousands of individuals and families to help them overcome personal challenges and uncertainties—leading to better, safer lives. The Allstate Foundation supports a range of programs across the nation designed to help protect and prepare people, including the 14-city ‘Good & Ready’ disaster preparedness tour and education campaign. Learn more at allstatefoundation.org.

About Points of Light

Points of Light is the world’s largest organization dedicated to volunteer service.. Through affiliates in 250 cities and partnerships with thousands of nonprofits and corporations, including The Allstate Foundation, Points of Light engages 4 million volunteers in 30 million hours of service each year. Find out more at www.pointsoflight.org.