ANCHORAGE, Alaska (MONDAY, DEC. 10, 2018) – Today at the Anchorage Chamber of Commerce “Make It Monday” Forum, Marathon Petroleum Corporation announced a significant new donation to the American Red Cross of Alaska for the construction and delivery of an Alaska-specific next generation Emergency Response Vehicle (ERV).

"Marathon Petroleum Corporation is proud to partner with organizations like the Red Cross of Alaska, and to underwrite the construction of a new Emergency Response Vehicle to serve our communities,” said Casey Sullivan, Government and Public Affairs Manager for Marathon Petroleum Corporation. “At Marathon, we are committed to the health and safety of our employees, disaster preparedness training and helping our friends and neighbors when needs arise.”

The new ERV will allow the Red Cross of Alaska to expand our existing capacity and allow for a broader response reach across Alaska.

“We couldn’t be more grateful for the support and critical partnership of Marathon,” said Kelley McGuirk, Regional Disaster Officer for the American Red Cross of Alaska. “Having a new ERV in our fleet will ensure our communities are supported, and will allow us be more strategic about our response to disasters in Alaska. Marathon’s donation will keep disaster survivors fed, our shelters stocked and our residents warm and out of the elements.”

Because of Marathon Petroleum Corporation’s generosity, Red Cross workers can quickly respond to help people facing life’s crises. These vehicles help the Red Cross reach families whose homes have burned, they act as lifelines for all disaster survivors, they enable us to deliver water, food and supplies right to people’s curbs, and they serve as signs of hope and recovery when people need them most.

Without our iconic emergency response vehicles, we literally could not reach people in crisis or deliver lifesaving supplies.

This short video highlights the important journey taken by Red Cross' fleet of emergency response vehicles during the massive response efforts of 2017: https://vimeo.com/288244242.

About the American Red Cross of Alaska:
In FY18, the American Red Cross of Alaska offered food, shelter, comfort and hope to 892 Alaskans. We responded to 308 disasters. Our preparedness/Health and Safety teams installed 2,309 smoke alarms statewide and educated 1,722 youth through The Pillowcase Project. Additionally, our Service to the Armed Forces staff exchanged 1,161 emergency messages for U.S. military service personnel and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of donors to provide aid to those that have been affected by disaster.