FEMA and Ad Council Los Angeles Leadership Committee Encourage Southern Californians to Prepare for the Possibility of a Major Earthquake via www.ReadyLA.org

LOS ANGELES, July 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The Ad Council, the leading producer of national public service advertisements (PSAs) in the nation, announced today in partnership with the organization's Los Angeles Leadership Committee, that they will be encouraging all local media outlets to provide significant support for the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) and the Ad Council's localized Emergency Preparedness campaign this summer.

"In Los Angeles, we have a civic responsibility to become better prepared for a long overdue earthquake that is predicted to strike along the San Andreas fault," said Scott Remy, Chief Communications Officer at Nestle USA, member of the Ad Council's Board of Directors and Los Angeles Leadership Committee.  "If we can help create a culture of preparedness," he added, "we'll be on the road to recovery sooner."

According to Chris Ipsen, Division Chief at the City of Los Angeles Emergency Management Department, "We estimate that 75 percent of Southern Californians are not prepared for a major earthquake or disaster."  Ipsen oversees the content-rich www.ReadyLA.org which is available in English and Spanish.

The Los Angeles Leadership Committee is encouraging all media throughout Southern California to run the localized PSAs from July through Labor Day.

Other members of the Ad Council Los Angeles Leadership Committee include:

• Sue Johenning, EVP, Group Director, Local Broadcast, Initiative
• Don Corsini, President/GM, KTLA-TV
• Greg Ashlock, President/GM, Clear Channel Radio
• Stephen Carver, Senior Vice President/Market Manager, CBS Radio
• Alberto Mier y Teran, Vice President/GM, KMEX-TV & KFTR-TV
• Brock Thompson, Regional Vice President, Adlink & Time Warner Cable

This Ad Council localized effort is part of the Ready campaign that is now in its eighth year.  The goal of the campaign is to encourage, educate and empower Americans to take steps to prepare for emergencies, including natural and man-made disasters. Created pro bono by advertising agencies Cramer-Krasselt and The Vidal Partnership, the campaign's national TV, Radio and Print PSAs have been localized to Los Angeles in both English and Spanish and encourage viewers, listeners and readers to visit www.ReadyLA.org to learn detailed ways to become prepared.

"We are pleased to be working in collaboration to bring earthquake preparedness to the forefront of the minds of Southern Californians," said Darryl J. Madden, Director of FEMA's Ready Campaign. "Preparedness is a shared responsibility.  This is a great opportunity for us to educate individuals and families on the steps they can take now toward building communities that are more resilient to all hazards."

The Ad Council Los Angeles Leadership Committee was developed in September, 2007 to assist the Ad Council in identifying the most critical social issues throughout Southern California and addressing the community's needs through localized strategies.  Past campaign selections have included Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving, High School Dropout Prevention and Foreclosure

Prevention.

Per the Ad Council's model, all of the localized PSAs will run and air in advertising time and space that is donated by the media.

The Ad 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.

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.

SOURCE The Ad Council