“Anaheim is truly a community with a strong commitment to helping one another,” said Anaheim Mayor Curt Pringle. “This past weekend I visited with those who are displaced, those who experienced loss, and with the representatives and residents who are working to meet the needs of the fellow community members. In the midst of tragedy, we are seeing the good in humanity. I want Anaheim residents to know their City stands alongside them in their time of loss.” The Anaheim Community Foundation, established in 1984, provides leadership to meet community needs. In times such as this, where Anaheim residents are displaced and have experienced major losses, the Foundation provides opportunities for local residents and businesses to assist the victims of the recent fire. Donations are being accepted by check or cash. These donations can be mailed to the Anaheim Community Foundation, City Hall, 200 S. Anaheim Boulevard, Ste. 433, Anaheim, CA 92805, or hand delivered to the Community Services reception desk at City Hall. Please indicate on the check subject line the monies are to be directed to the “Freeway Fire Victims Assistance Fund.”

The Anaheim Community Foundation currently has staff representatives at the Local Assistance Center (LAC), housed at the East Anaheim Gymnasium (8165 E. Santa Ana Canyon Road, Anaheim), who are available to accept monetary donations. Those monies will be used to assist Anaheim residents purchase needed items. Additional information about the Anaheim Community Foundation can be found by calling (714) 765-4419, logging on to www.anaheimcommfound.org, or by sending an e-mail to messageto@anaheimcommfound.org.

In addition to creating an assistance fund, many City departments maintain their priority service to assist victims with their needs. The Anaheim Fire Department continues its tremendous efforts in both assisting the residents in the retrieval of personal items and, in conjunction with the City Planning building inspectors, assessing damage. Working alongside the Fire Department is the Anaheim Police Department who is also assisting residents by increasing patrols of fire affected neighborhoods as well as insuring smooth traffic flow.

As soon as was possible, the Public Works department installed security fencing around the damaged and destroyed homes in order to help keep them secure. Public Works has also coordinated with The Gas Company to shut off service at red tagged homes. Public Utilities will be providing customers with red or yellow tagged residences a one-time waiver on their outstanding City Utility bill, as of the date of the fire (Nov. 15, 2008). This includes waiving the charges for electricity, water, trash, sanitation, street sweeping and the monthly fee for participation in the paramedic program. For those eligible to continue utility service, normal billing will resume the following bill period. Eligible customers will receive a letter from Public Utilities along with their waived bill charges in the next couple of days. Customers who have questions or would like to provide a forwarding address should contact the Utilities Liaison at (714) 765-3300.

For residents planning to repair or rebuild their homes, the City’s Planning Department has created an “express window” at the permit counter at City Hall. The department will expedite plan checks at no additional charge, and will assign a project manager to each permit to ensure a smooth process. The Planning Department has also created customized information sheets for each property affected by the fires to further assist Anaheim residents.

On Saturday, Nov. 22, the Local Assistance Center will transition from a 13-hour per day operation to the hours of 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. Those hours will be in effect Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Starting Tuesday, Nov. 25, FEMA and the Small Business Administration will remain at the East Anaheim Gymnasium (8165 E. Santa Ana Canyon Road, Anaheim), with the other agencies returning to their home offices. FEMA will operate out of their mobile command unit, and the SBA will work from office space at the East Anaheim Community Center (located next to the East Anaheim Gymnasium). FEMA and the SBA will remain onsite until community needs are met. FEMA can also be contacted through their website at www.fema.gov, or by calling (800) 621-3362, or TYY (800) 462-7585.

For more information on these programs, please visit www.anaheim.net.

###

ABOUT ANAHEIM - The City of Anaheim, founded in 1857, is one of the nation's premier municipalities and is California's 10th most populous city. Anaheim covers 50 square miles with more than 345,500 residents and more than 3,200 City employees. The municipal corporation's annual budget is $1.4 billion. Anaheim supports a thriving business community with companies such as Carl Karcher Enterprises, Inc., L-3 Communications, Pacific Sunwear, and Disneyland Resort. Successful sports franchises call Anaheim home, including Angels Baseball, Anaheim Ducks, the 2008 Olympic Gold Medal winning U.S. Men's National Volleyball Team, and the 2008 Olympic Silver Medal winning U.S. Women's National Volleyball Team. Anaheim also boasts world-class meeting and entertainment venues with the Anaheim Convention Center, the largest on the west coast, Honda Center, The Grove of Anaheim, The Shops at Anaheim GardenWalk, and Angel Stadium of Anaheim. Annually, Anaheim welcomes millions of visitors to the city, truly making it where the world comes to live, work and play. For more information, please visit www.anaheim.net.