Alameda Power & Telecom and the Alameda Red Cross Partner to Better Serve the Community

ALAMEDA, Calif., October 1, 2005 — By working together, the Alameda Red Cross and Alameda Power & Telecom help make our City a little brighter - and we aren't just talking light bulbs. While preparedness for a major disaster brings the two agencies together, so do the needs of low-income citizens, particularly those that are seniors or disabled throughout our community. Alameda Power & Telecom offers two low-income programs, the Energy Assistance Program (EAP) and Project EASE (Energy Assistance through Supportive Efforts), which are administered by the Alameda Red Cross.

Jim Franz, director of the Alameda Red Cross, says the EAP focuses on all low-income residents, providing assistance with their electricity bills. The EAP provides a number of benefits to low-income residents, including a free energy audit, free compact fluorescent bulbs, and the replacement of a halogen torchiere with a compact fluorescent torchiere. EAP participants are also provided with tips for using energy more efficiently, helping them lower and take control of their electricity costs. A discount of up to 25% on their electricity bills is applied after energy-efficiency recommendations are made.

While the EAP helps Alameda Power & Telecom customers with long-term needs, Project EASE helps low-income residents who are struggling to pay their electricity bill in a particular month. It offers a "last resort" to those who have exhausted all other opportunities. "Project EASE pays half of an outstanding bill, up to $200," Franz notes, explaining that the program matches whatever the family is able to pay. Low-income residents may use Project EASE for up to $200 in subsidies during a 3-year period. This program is co-funded by Alameda Power & Teledom customer donations.

Of course, all customers benefit from these programs, as they result in fewer "write-offs" and ultimately better cash flow for our utility.

To keep these programs going, the Red Cross welcomes additional energy, too - yours. If you, your business or organization, would like to make a donation of time or money for any of these programs, please call 510-814-4200. Residents may also call this number to apply for assistance from any of the programs.

The Red Cross of the Bay Area, the Alameda Fire Department, and Alameda Power & Telecom also joined together to produce Together We Prepare, a video that helps Alameda residents prepare for natural or man-made disasters. You can see the program every Thursday evening at 7:00 p.m. on Alameda Power & Telecom Channel 31, and copies of the DVD are also available on loan at City libraries.

But disaster preparedness goes beyond videos. Residents with special needs, or their caretakers, should call the 510-337-2128 to be sure emergency responders are aware of their situation. For example, a resident may need the use of a respirator or other life-support equipment that requires the use of electricity. "Working with the Alameda Fire Department, we flag that customer and make note of his or her special needs," Franz says. In an emergency, community responders would know that resident "would need a generator or, perhaps, to go someplace where there will be power."

Community-wide involvement is key in ensuring residents' access to needed support and services, reducing confusion when assistance is needed from multiple agencies, and creating environments where individuals and families can recover and thrive. As Hurricane Katrina so clearly has illustrated, all of us need to expect the unexpected and to take action now. Please consider a donation today at www.redcross.org or by calling 1-800-HELP-NOW.