Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment Partners with Wal-Mart Stores Inc.on Emergency Preparedness Program

Innovative partnership aims to increase the number of Coloradans who develop
emergency preparedness kits for their homes, office and car

Heading into one of Colorado's snowiest months, the Emergency Preparedness and Response Division of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment is teaming up with Wal-Mart Stores Inc. to encourage residents to prepare their own home, office and car emergency preparedness kits. The company's Sam's Club locations also are participating.

"I am very pleased that Wal-Mart selected Colorado for its first such statewide partnership, which helps us continue our efforts to increase the number of Coloradans who have emergency preparedness kits in their homes, office and cars," said Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter. "As one of the nation's largest retailers, Wal-Mart can help us reach more people with our message about the importance of having an emergency preparedness kit - and can make it easy for Coloradans to shop for kit items."

Beginning March 1 and continuing through March 9, Coloradans can visit their local Wal-Mart or Sam's Club to view sample emergency preparedness kit items on display and pick up an informational brochure, available in both English and Spanish, which includes a checklist to help them shop for their own kit.

Many of the Wal-Mart displays will be staffed with volunteers from the Colorado Public Health and Medical Volunteer System and other volunteer organizations to assist in distributing brochures and to answer questions from the public. They also will distribute specific brochures for people with disabilities and special needs.

In addition, at the end ofthe nine-day program, Wal-Mart and Sam's Club locations will donate emergency kit items to the National Organization on Disability's Emergency Preparedness Initiative, which works to ensure that people with disabilities are included in all levels of emergency preparedness.

"Surveys in Colorado and across the nation have demonstrated that more than half the population is not prepared for emergencies," said Chris Lindley, director of the department's Emergency Preparedness and Response Division. "I'm very pleased that our state and Wal-Mart have forged this significant partnership to help residents learn how to better prepare for emergencies and hope that other states will followour lead."

Two weeks ago, a state of emergency was declared in Park County, Colo., after snowstorms blanketed the area and left approximately 100 Coloradans without access to food and other critical supplies - a vivid reminder that emergencies can materialize quickly and leave people without basic necessities. Surveys repeatedly have shown that the vast majority of residents do not have emergency preparedness kits for their homes, automobiles or offices. A recent survey of 929 Colorado residents over the age of 18 showed:

• 73 percent of respondents said they do not possess an emergency preparedness kit
• Yet, 66 percent of respondents believe they are prepared for an emergency lasting three days - and 56 percent believe they are prepared for an extended two-week emergency

"Knowing what to do during anemergency may make all the difference when seconds count," said Lindley."Having an emergency preparedness kit on hand - in your home, in your officeand in your car - is not only an important part of being prepared and ensuringyou have the resources you need to stay healthy and safe, but will also allowfirst responders to prioritize their efforts and aid - and possibly save otherlives."

At the 64 Wal-Mart and 15Sam's Clubs locations across Colorado, residents can find information about emergencypreparedness and begin building their kits. These kits should contain the basicessentials for living, including drinking water, nonperishable food and medicalsupplies (including prescription medications). Other important items include:extra batteries, flashlights, communication devices (radio, cell phone andcharger), garbage bags, warm blankets and copies of important personaldocuments. People also should consider additional items important to theirfamily's needs, such as pet food, baby formula or diapers. Each emergencypreparedness kit should be created to provide enough essentials to last aminimum of three days for shorter emergencies, such as being homebound during asnowstorm, but should last a minimum of two weeks for longer emergencies suchas an influenza pandemic.

"We believe this program willresult in a significant increase in awareness about emergency preparednessamong Colorado citizens," said Beth Montgomery, senior manager of EmergencyManagement at Wal-Mart. "No matter if it is before, during, or after anemergency, it's critical that Coloradans know they can rely on Wal-Mart andSam's Club to help them prepare. We are dedicated to saving people money sothey can live better - and in this case, safer. This program will help familiesto compete their kits as comprehensively and quickly as possible."

At the end of the campaign,partners from the National Organization on Disability (NOD) will pick up thesample emergency preparedness kit items from Wal-Mart locations and distributethem to disabled and special-needs recipients. Materials from the NOD'sEmergency Preparedness Initiative (EPI) will accompany the donated kits,including a copy of the "Emergency Readiness Wheel for People withDisabilities," an all-hazards-based education tool to assist people withdisabilities when designing a personal emergency preparedness plan.

"This campaign inColorado is an example of thinking outside the box and looking beyond NationalPreparedness Month in September as the only month for preparednesseducation," said Hilary Styron, Director of NOD's EPI. "It reinforces ourfirm belief that everyone of every ability should be prepared everyday."

About What If? Colorado

About Wal-Mart Stores Inc.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. operatesWal-Mart discount stores, Supercenters, Neighborhood Markets and Sam's Clublocations in the United States. The Company operates in Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China,Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Japan, Mexico, Nicaragua, PuertoRico and the United Kingdom. Moreinformation about Wal-Mart can be found by visiting www.walmartfacts.com.Online merchandise sales are available at www.walmart.com.

About the NationalOrganization on Disability

The mission of the NationalOrganization on Disability (NOD) is to expand the participation andcontribution of America's 54 million men, women and children with disabilitiesin all aspects of life. To learn more about disability and special needspreparedness, please visit www.nod.org/emergency.