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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 26, 2008

CONTACT

Heather Atherton
SAFELY OUT™ Media Relations
916/316-4568
hatherton@citizenvoice.org

FIRES IN CALIFORNIA, FLOODS IN THE MIDWEST POINT TO THE NEED FOR SAFELY OUT™
Governor’s Office of Homeland Security Commits $100K, A Major Step for the Project

(June 26, 2008 – Sacramento, CA) – Fires across California and floods throughout the Midwest
remind us of the nationwide need for Citizen Voice’s SAFELY OUT™ Project. Right now California is
in a critical time when it comes to disaster with hundreds of fires still burning all across the state. It
reminds us that we are all vulnerable to some type of natural disaster, no matter where we live, and
that our most vulnerable especially need to be protected.

OHS Makes Major Commitment
Citizen Voice’s SAFELY OUT™ Project is designed to help safely evacuate the vulnerable during
both natural and man-made disasters. The goal of the SAFELY OUT™ Project is to help protect the
most vulnerable -- such as the elderly, disabled and those caring for young children -- during disaster
evacuations. The California Governor’s Office of Homeland Security (OHS) commitment of $100,000
to SAFELY OUT™ will help protect thousands of residents in Natomas and thousands of disabled
residents throughout the Sacramento region in a future natural or manmade disaster. The first
$25,000 of the OHS funds will go directly to the new SAFELY OUT--Natomas effort to get Kits into
this flood-threatened area. Designation for the other $75,000 will be announced going forward.

“At OHS, we are always looking for ways to help make Californians more prepared, and for ways to
help our first responders do their jobs more effectively, all to help save lives and property,” stated
Matt Bettenhausen, Director of the California Office of Homeland Security. “Citizen Voice’s SAFELY
OUT Project does both and we're happy to be involved with the effort.”

Sacramento County Protects 6,000 of the Homebound
The County of Sacramento announced last August that they had committed to a total of $250,000
over five years to support Citizen Voice’s SAFELY OUT™ Project and provide Kits to vulnerable
residents in the County. With today’s announcement, Sacramento County has designated $60,000 of
their funds toward distributing SAFELY OUT™ Kits to 6,000 homebound elderly or disabled residents
that are part of the County’s In-Home Supportive Services program (IHSS), about one-third of all of
IHSS’ clientele. The County’s goal is to get kits into the hands of all 18,000 IHSS clients as a part of
their five-year commitment of funds.

According to Sacramento County Supervisor Roger Dickinson, “Your program provides a simple way
for citizens to help one another in safely evacuating their homes. It also provides an additional
resource for emergency responders by which to identify residents who urgently need attention in an evacuation.”

SAFELY OUT--Natomas Initiative and PRIDE Industries
According to an August 13, 2007 article in BusinessWeek titled “California’s Flood-Control
Challenge”, Natomas is the area of the Sacramento region under the greatest threat for a flood
disaster due to levee weaknesses. In response to this, Citizen Voice’s SAFELY OUT™ Project
launched an initiative to help gather the resources to put a SAFELY OUT™ Kit into the hands of the
most vulnerable in the Natomas region. With additional support, the Project has the potential grow to
cover all 45,000 households in Natomas. A committee involving representatives from government,
business and non-profits, with a vested interest in the well-being of Natomas, has been meeting
monthly to help build the resources to sponsor and distribute the kits.

As a result of SAFELY OUT--Natomas, the SAFELY OUT™ Project has received tremendous
feedback and access to new, valuable resources from its supporters. Government leaders such as
Congresswoman Doris Matsui, Assemblyman Roger Niello and Supervisor Roger Dickinson have
now publicly offered their support through endorsement letters of the SAFELY OUT™ Project and the
Natomas effort. Local business leaders like Leo Grover of Pinnacle Emergency Management have
stepped up to the plate to provide funding as well. Grover has contributed $40,000 of his own funds
and funds he has generated from his business associates. Pinnacle’s funds will be used to cover
2,500 Kits for Natomas residents and 1,500 Kits for the people with disabilities who work for PRIDE
Industries with a goal of reaching all of PRIDE’s 2,500 employees with disabilities soon. PRIDE
Industries’ workforce has been assembling SAFELY OUT™ Kits since the Project first launched in
August 2006 on the first anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.

“Our focus at Pinnacle Emergency Management is the Analysis, Planning and Response to
emergency situations, large or small. As a business leader in this area, supporting the objectives of
the SAFELY OUT™ Project was a natural and logical decision,” explained Leo Grover, owner of
Pinnacle Emergency Management. “If Pinnacle can help ensure that the most vulnerable citizens of
our community are evacuated in an emergency, we will continue our enthusiastic support with this
project.”

Other local business leaders like Matt Mahood, President of the Sacramento Metro Chamber, have
pledged their support as well. “The Metro Chamber supports your efforts to gather the resources to
get a SAFELY OUT Kit into every household and opportunities to build resources and exposure for
the initiative,” added Mahood.

Update on SAFELY OUT™ Project Progress
The SAFELY OUT™ Project is designed as a “neighbor helping neighbor” evacuation effort, assisting
vulnerable populations in reaching safety and relieving the burden first responders and caregivers
often shoulder alone. Citizen Voice’s SAFELY OUT Project is believed to be the first strategic
approach in the U.S. targeting our most vulnerable during disasters, enabling neighbors to help as
“first responders” to check on their fellow neighbors during an evacuation.

More than 10,000 SAFELY OUT Kits have already been distributed in the greater Sacramento region
and 15,000 are now ready for distribution with 10,000 more in production. Ultimately, $1 million will be
needed to complete the initial phase of the Sacramento region pilot project with the successful
distribution of 100,000 kits. Citizen Voice’s SAFELY OUT Project wants to make sure that families are
prepared in the event of any type of disaster evacuation. This is only the beginning of what is rapidly
becoming a major “neighbor helping neighbor” effort that is capturing national attention.

SAFELY OUT Kits are available online at www.CitizenVoice.org, or by mail. A $10 suggested
minimum contribution per kit is requested (plus $2.50 shipping/handing per kit for mail orders.) Those
individuals, groups and businesses interested in ordering kits, making a contribution to get kits to
others in need, or becoming a SAFELY OUT™ Project sponsor can inquire at www.CitizenVoice.org
or call (916) 503-3194. Kit orders and contributions can be made online or by mail (mail only, there is
no counter service available at this address) to Citizen Voice, 1215 K Street, 17th Floor, Sacramento,
CA, 95814.

About Citizen Voice™
Citizen Voice is a 501C3 nonprofit, nonpartisan movement with a mission to inspire, inform and
involve citizens in the public arena on behalf of all, especially the vulnerable. Citizen Voice fulfills its
mission by fostering active participation in the public arena as well as involving citizens in both
practical immediate intervention and work towards long-term changes that protect the vulnerable. For
more information on Citizen Voice, visit www.CitizenVoice.org.

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