CONTACT:    SUSAN TOLCHIN                                                                            (914) 995-2932                          LYNNE BEDELL                                                                              (914) 995-3106

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                 MARCH 21, 2003

EMERGENCY PLANNING BOOKLETS FOR INDIAN POINT AVAILABLE IN SPANISH

Non-profits, businesses needed to help county with distribution

To make sure that Hispanic residents living near Indian Point know what to do in the case of an emergency, Westchester County has been distributing thousands of its emergency planning booklets in Spanish and is upping its efforts to get them out to those who can use them.

More than 5,600 copies of the “Emergency Planning for Indian Point” booklet have been mailed to residents or distributed in bulk to agencies who work with Spanish-speaking populations. A new Spanish page has been added to the county website and the booklet is now also available electronically (pdf format) at www.westchestergov.com/indianpoint.

The county is now looking for additional community agencies and businesses (in the vicinity of the Indian Point power plant) that have a Hispanic clientele and are willing to help with distribution.  Anyone wanting copies should call Martha Lopez at (914) 995-2476.

 “We need to use every means of outreach available to find people who should have these booklets so we’re using some alternate methods of distribution,” said County Executive Andy Spano. “Everyone should know what to do in case of an emergency and no one should lack for information because of a language barrier.”

The Westchester County Office for Hispanic Affairs is distributing the booklet through the dozens of agencies and organizations that work with the department. Copies have been provided to libraries and school guidance counselors, and will eventually go to check-cashing outlets, bodegas, delis and churches.

The English version was mailed to 78,242 households and 1,600 businesses within the 10-mile zone around Indian Point.  A total of almost 200,000 booklets have been mailed to households in the four surrounding counties - Putnam, Orange, Rockland and Westchester.

The guide has a new workbook format, updated information on recent school reception center changes and a revised, easy-to-understand map. The annual booklet is a joint effort between the four surrounding counties, the New York State Emergency Management Office and Entergy Nuclear Northeast, owner of the Indian Point plant.