Special Podcast of the California Wildfires for October 24, 2007

24 Oct 2007 09:00 Africa/Lagos


PR Newswire Broadcast Minute Special Edition: California Wildfires for October 24, 2007

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Southern California Wildfires Bring Out Massive Movement of Red Cross ResourcesWith the wildfires still escalating, Red Cross supplies and volunteers are en route to Southern California by the thousands. More than 500 American Red Cross workers have been hard at work since Sunday morning and the Red Cross is expanding its services rapidly as the needs change and escalate.

Here's what the Red Cross has on the way:

-- 25-thousand cots
-- 50-thousand blankets
-- 50-thousand pre-packaged meals
-- 25-thousand comfort kits filled with toiletry items
-- 75 mobile feeding trucks and 2 Southern Baptist Kitchens
-- one-thousand shelter workers
-- one-thousand workers to help with feeding, distribution of supplies, mental health and first aid support.

Full story at: http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/10-23- 2007/0004688147&EDATE=

Wildfire Expert Says Fire Storms Inevitable Without New Policy; Action Needed NowAward-winning wildfire expert Doctor Reese Halter says that fire storms like the ones now engulfing Southern California forests are inevitable without new policies to address the central problem: a dangerous cocktail of historic drought, global warming and millions of bark-beetle killed trees. Doctor Halter is president and co-founder of Global Forest Science.Only months ago Doctor Halter publicly cited new research indicating Southern California has reached unprecedented levels of vulnerability to major forest fires given drought conditions that haven't been seen in the state for 130 years. With 16 million people in the Los Angeles basin surrounded by mountain forests and a million beetle-killed trees as kindling, residents of Los Angeles are facing imminent risk to their properties, families and themselves.



Full story at: http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/10-23- 2007/0004688390&EDATE=

State Farm Mobilizes to Respond to Southern California FiresIn response to the fires raging across Southern California, State Farm has mobilized its company resources to assist in the recovery effort. State Farm, the largest homeowners insurance carrier in California and the nation, has dispatched its claims force and are on site in the affected areas and are available to customers to begin the claim process.State Farm policyholders, whose home or car has been damaged, should contact their State Farm agent; or call 1-800-SF CLAIM to reach State Farm catastrophe operators.

Full story at: http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/10-23- 2007/0004688300&EDATE=

Supermarket Partners Ralphs and Food 4 Less Donate Truckload of Food and Supplies to Wildfire VictimsSupermarket partners Ralphs and Food 4 Less have donated more than ten-thousand dollars in food and supplies to the American Red Cross for wildfire victims evacuated to Qualcomm Stadium.Ralphs and Food 4 Less are providing food, infant formula, milk, fruit, diapers, and toothbrushes and toothpaste for wildfire victims displaced to Qualcomm Stadium. The product was delivered in a Ralphs refrigerated trailer, which will remain on site at the stadium.The company's charitable arm, The Ralphs/Food 4 Less Foundation, has pledged 200-thousand dollars to the American Red Cross for wildfire relief in Southern California.

Full story at: http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/10-22- 2007/0004687384&EDATE=

Verizon Keeps Southern California Wildfire Evacuees Connected With Free Call-Forwarding.

Verizon customers who have evacuated their homes because of the Malibu wildfire can add call forwarding to their account at no charge as part of the company's efforts to help those in need cope with the disaster.Verizon customers who have been forced to evacuate, can opt
-- at no charge
-- to have their telephone calls automatically forwarded to a working phone number at another location where they are staying, or to a wireless number.

Customers will not be billed the one-time set-up fees or monthly charges for call-forwarding, although customers will be responsible for any toll charges on forwarded calls and wireless airtime charges.

Full story at: http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/10-22- 2007/0004687116&EDATE=

US Airways Waives Change Fees for Customers Affected by Southern California FiresUS Airways is relaxing certain fees for customers who may have to change travel plans as a result of the Southern California wildfires.The airline is offering the following revised policies, which apply to all customers flying October 22nd through October 26th on any U-S Airways or U-S Airways codeshare flight to or from the following airports in Southern California: Santa Barbara, Burbank, Los Angeles International, Long Beach, Ontario, Santa Ana/Orange County, Carlsbad and San Diego.Customers are strongly encouraged to check flight status at usairways.com or by calling 800-428-4322 before arriving at the airport and to allow plenty of driving time to the airport.

Full story at: http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/10-23- 2007/0004688246&EDATE=

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For more information, contact Rob Fisher at 408-365-8793 or email rob.fisher@prnewswire.com .
PRNewswire -- Oct. 24First Call
Analyst: FCMN Contact:

Source: PR Newswire

N.B:
Photographs from the BBC News Coverage of the California Wildfires.