Goodyear Mobilizing Airships to Support Hurricane Relief Fundraising

AKRON, Ohio, Sept. 2 -- The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company will use its famous fleet of airships to encourage an ongoing stream of donations in support of the Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. The only airships with electronic day- and night-signs, the Goodyear blimps will use their signs to encourage donations and promote fund-raising efforts from the American public.

A variety of airship support options was offered to relief agencies, according to Chuck Sinclair, senior vice president of global communications for Goodyear. "We talked about the possibility of flying signs over the affected areas, however it was agreed that the best way to offer immediate support is through an awareness campaign to alert the public where donations can be made," Sinclair said. "We recognize the relief efforts will go on for months, and we pledge our resources in support of these efforts as a way to keep the American public focused on the needs."

Those efforts have already started in Los Angeles and Columbus, Ohio. The Carson, Calif.-based Spirit of America is providing television coverage for the San Diego State-UCLA football game, and Akron, Ohio-based Spirit of Goodyear is covering the Miami of Ohio-Ohio State game.

"We have extensive travel plans for the airships over the next few months where the California airship will travel coast-to-coast carrying the hurricane relief messages," Sinclair said. "We also are looking at innovative ways to support fund-raising telethons and concerts."

In addition to the aerial efforts, the company is also providing additional support to aid relief efforts as well as a focus on the many Goodyear associates who were directly impacted by the disaster. The company is exploring alternative work opportunities for these people, including jobs in other Goodyear facilities. Also under consideration is establishing emergency service centers in the area and outfitting and operating mobile tire service trucks to fulfill expected on-site demand.

"We still have associates unaccounted for and we are making every effort to locate them and to ensure support of affected associates and families," Sinclair said. The company is establishing an internal repository for donations from other Goodyear associates worldwide who want to assist their fellow workers as well as encouraging donations to the American Red Cross, Salvation Army and FEMA relief efforts.

Despite the obstacles of closed operations and disrupted transportation capabilities, Goodyear also is focusing efforts on providing enough tires for those who will need them in the affected areas, Sinclair said. "Disaster relief is a massive undertaking and this requires an ample supply of tires, many of which are already in short supply. Goodyear is prioritizing the supply of certain types of tires for police cruisers, utility trucks, tractors, loaders and other work vehicles with plans to hold them in reserve in local warehouses for the agencies that desperately need them to support their efforts."

Goodyear is the world's largest tire company. The company manufactures tires, engineered rubber products and chemicals in more than 90 facilities in 28 countries around the world. Goodyear employs more than 75,000 people worldwide.