| What: |
Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) “Ready or Not? Have A Plan” El Paso event. This interactive educational tour offers people a chance to create family emergency plans and learn about emergency preparedness in their communities. The tour is part of the “Ready or Not? Have a Plan” campaign launched by DSHS last fall to encourage Texans to prepare for disasters. |
| When: |
2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, March 14, El Paso
Media availability 2:30 p.m. including interviews and visuals of the Plan Van, outdoor tent, sample emergency kit, other emergency planning supplies and computer kiosks where people can create their personalized plans. |
| Where: |
Wal-Mart parking lot, 4530 Woodrow Bean Transmountain Dr., El Paso |
| Who: |
Dr. Luis Escobedo, DSHS regional medical director, El Paso; Dr. Robert Galvan, interim health director, El Paso City-County Health and Environmental District; David Zarazua, Texas Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services, El Paso; Lynn Garner, Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services, El Paso; Mark Matthys, executive director, American Red Cross El Paso; Al Chacon, El Paso MHMR; Ida Waide, Far West Texas & Southern New Mexico Regional Area Council; Dora Flores, 2-1-1 Texas; Paula Mitchell, El Paso Community College Medical Reserve Corps; Natalie Nevarez-Straight, Community Emergency Response Team (CERT); Mary Helen Gutierrez, Student Teen Emergency Preparedness (STEP) Team Program, El Paso Police Department; Randy Johnson and Danny Medrano, El Paso City Fire Department; and representatives of the Governor's Division of Emergency Management and other public health and emergency response agencies. |
| Why: |
Disasters can happen anywhere, at any time in Texas. The time to plan is now, before a disaster hits. |
| Web: |
For more information on the campaign and to create a personalized emergency plan visit www.TexasPrepares.org (English) or www.TexasPrepara.org (Spanish). |
| Contact: |
Emily Palmer, DSHS Assistant Press Officer, Austin, 512-458-7400. |