Honoring and recognizing Southeastern Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Red Cross and its CEO Tom Foley whose diligent and tireless work has helped hundreds of thousands of people affected by the December 26, 2004 tsunami.

WHEREAS, The Southeastern Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Red Cross is available twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week through volunteers and staff and has been serving the residents of the five County region since 1916; and

WHEREAS, Tom Foley, CEO of Southeastern Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Red Cross, his staff and volunteers respond to disasters, educate youth and families on disaster prevention, teach lifesaving health and safety training in the workplace and community, provide Automated External Defibrillator (AED) units and training, assist military families during emergencies, train and test Certified Nurse Assistants and provide volunteer support for blood services; and

WHEREAS, On December 26, 2004 the second largest earthquake since measurements began in 1899 a magnitude 9.0 earthquake occurred 100 miles off the coast of Indonesia’s Sumatra Island; and

WHEREAS, This enormous seismic disturbance created a rise or fall in the ocean above and this occurrence is the initial formation of the tsunami; and

WHEREAS, The tsunami claimed 276,000 lives in Asia and Africa; and

WHEREAS, The Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies from around the world are currently assisting more than 500,000 people; and

WHEREAS, The amount of money donated through the Southeastern PA Chapter of the American Red Cross, equals more than $5 million dollars as of February 7, 2005; and

WHEREAS, The money donated is helping to provide food, clean water, health care, psychological support, shelter materials and household and hygiene articles to the survivors of the worst natural disaster in living memory; and

WHEREAS, The tsunami funds will help affected countries recover and rebuild their lives with relief and recovery programs, as well as disaster preparedness measures planned to run for at least the next decade; therefore

RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That we hereby honor and recognize the Southeastern Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Red Cross and its CEO Tom Foley whose diligent and tireless work has helped hundreds of thousands of people affected by the December 26, 2004 tsunami.

FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to Tom Foley CEO of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Red Cross as evidence of the sincere respect and admiration of this legislative body.

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