ANAHEIM, CA - (September 29, 2011) - Anaheim is one of seven cities in the United States to pilot the emergency preparedness and resiliency campaign system.

A new Anaheim program aimed at creating strong neighborhood communities has been selected to be a pilot program in a national community resilience effort.  Kicked off in June by Anaheim Mayor Tom Tait, the Hi Neighbor program strives to create stronger neighbor-to-neighbor ties and will result in new neighborhood-level networks for community policing and emergency preparedness. 

The initiative caught the attention of The Community and Regional Resilience Institute (CARRI), a national effort supported by the Department of Homeland Security.  CARRI then invited Anaheim to be one of seven cities to participate in a pilot federal program on community resiliency called the Community Resilience System (CRS). 

At a meeting in Washington, D.C. earlier this month, Mayor Tait accepted the invitation on behalf of the City of Anaheim.   The CRS, a web-based system, is comprised of a six-stage process that guides communities through assessments, goal-setting, action planning and implementation in order to improve their resilience.  The 18-month pilot program will provide feedback on how communities bounce back - or are resilient - to a variety of emergency situations.  Results, processes and tools learned through the pilot program will be shared for future use in cities across America.

“We are pleased to be part of this leading national effort to help American communities deal better with emergencies,” said Mayor Tait.  “Anaheim’s Hi Neighbor program depends on people’s personal connections with their neighbors. In the end, every community in the nation will be stronger, friendlier and better prepared for emergencies of any type if people know each other and are involved in their neighborhoods.”
The seven leading communities chosen to participate in the CRS vary in size, geography, economics and community composition are:  Anaheim; Anne Arundel County and Annapolis, Md.; Charleston and the Tri-County Area, S.C.; Gadsden, Ala.; Greenwich, Conn.; the Mississippi Gulf Coast; and Mount Juliet, Tenn.
Anaheim will keep its citizens current with information on the status of this pilot program, and will offer resources in which to build a resilient community. 

For information on CARRI, please visit www.ResilientUS.org.

For information on Anaheim’s Hi Neighbor program and the City’s participation in the Community Resilience System (CRS), please visit www.anaheim.net/neighbor.

Media Contact: Ruth Ruiz 714.765.5060more city news

###

ABOUT ANAHEIM – The City of Anaheim, founded in 1857, is one of the nation's premier municipalities and is one of California's most populous cities. Anaheim covers 50 square miles with more than 343,000 residents and more than 2,950 City employees. The municipal corporation's annual budget is $1.5 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 U.S. Men's National Volleyball Team, the 2012 Olympic Games Silver Medal winning U.S. Women's National Volleyball Team, and the Professional Arena Soccer League Anaheim Bolts. Anaheim also boasts world-class meeting and entertainment venues with the Anaheim Convention Center, LEED-certified and the largest on the west coast, Honda Center, City National Grove of Anaheim, Anaheim GardenWalk, and Angel Stadium of Anaheim. In addition, Anaheim embraces its vibrant cultural arts community, including the world-renowned Anaheim Ballet. 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.

CONNECT WITH THE CITY OF ANAHEIM

	Join the Anaheim community on Facebook
	Submit service requests via Twitter - text "d Anaheim311" to 40404
	Anaheim events and video news articles - updated weekly on Anaheim's YouTube channel
	Download the FREE My Anaheim app for Apple iPhone and iPod Touch
	Download the FREE My Anaheim app for Android devices
	Anaheim Anytime is available 24/7.  For questions regarding the City of Anaheim, simply dial 311 from any Anaheim-based landline phone or from (714) 765-4311 from a cell phone or any phone outside the city limits. Anaheim Anytime representatives are available from 7:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday - Friday. Recorded information and a voice mail box is also available 24/7.