FEMA / Texas Mitigation guidelines for 2010 and future Hurricane Guide content have changed.
Primary distribution of the 2010 Official Texas Hurricane Guide is sponsored by Walmart. About 95% of the distribution to the public is performed by Walmart personnel. Except for the specific inventories going to the Media Distribution Partners and the National Weather Service Offices, the Hurricane Guides are shipped to, and received by, Walmart Redistribution Center in Palestine, Tx directly from the printer. As such, Walmart is allocated limited space in the Hurricane Guide to display components of their Emergency Management and Response Capabilities specifically targeted to general public assistance. Walmart volunteers their distribution role at their own expense and provides CGO with a statement of expense; to be used by CGO as an in-kind service to support federal and/or state grants.
Media Distribution Partners are those TV media partners who provide Hurricane Guides directly to the public through outreach, awareness or educational programs; and receive their annual Hurricane Guide inventory as the result of a valid partnership with CGO. Media Distribution Partners promote the Hurricane Guide at their own expense and provide CGO with a statement of expense; to be used by CGO as an in-kind service to support federal and/or state grants. As such, Media Distribution Partners are allocated limited space in the Hurricane Guide to identify their news and weather teams, hot-line phone numbers for residents to call, web links for residents to find important storm related subjects and other emergency public information such as evacuation scenarios, dates, times and routes. Some Media Distribution Partners promote, at their own expense, 3rd party partnersips who may also distribute the Hurricane Guides. 3rd party distribution partners are not allocated promotional space in the Hurricane Guides by CGO. Their business names or logos can only be included in the space allocated to the Media Distribution Partner; and only on the back cover of the Hurricane Guide in a space indicating alternate distribution locations. Any 3rd party partners who distribute Hurricane Guides to the public receive their inventory from the Media Distribution Partner engaged in the 3rd party sponsorship. 3rd party partners are very important as they provide alternate locations of distribution and directly support and sponsor the outreach programs with their relative Media Distribution Partners.
Expenses relative to 3rd party sponsorships with Media Distribution Partners cannot be used by CGO as in-kind services to support any federal and/or state grant. CGO does not engage in any advertising activity whatsoever relative to the Hurricane Guide. CGO does not accept money donations from anyone. Our 501(c)3 charter does not provide for accepting operational funding for the Hurricane Guide project from any source other than a governmental grant. Although in-kind services from Primary and Media Distribution Partners have monetary values, CGO can only make use of these services and values when and where such a grant provision exists.
Distribution Partnerships are screened, solicited, engaged and approved soley by CGO. No Federal, State or Local govermental entity particiaptes in the partnership selection activities conducted by CGO. Furthermore, with the exception of NOAA/NWS, no Federal, State or Local governmental entity participates in the developement, arrangement or design of any content published in the Hurricane Guide produced by CGO.
CGO does not engage in Lobbying activities whatsoever. CGO does not support nor align itself with any political party, initiative or movement.
