OREANDA-NEWS. June 02, 2015. The Travelers Institute, the public policy division of The Travelers Companies, Inc. (NYSE:TRV), today will host its fifth annual “Kicking Off Hurricane Preparedness Season” symposium at the American Museum of Natural History to mark the official start of the 2015 Atlantic hurricane season.

The American Museum of Natural History, the Partnership for New York City, and Team Rubicon, will participate in the symposium, which will explore how governments, businesses, and families can prepare for and recover from severe weather and other natural disasters.

During the symposium, the Travelers Institute and the Travelers Foundation will present the Travelers Excellence in Community Resilience Award to Team Rubicon, a non-profit organization whose important work leverages the skills and experiences of military veterans to deploy emergency response teams after natural disasters. The award recognizes organizations that are dedicated to helping communities recover from severe weather, earthquakes, and other natural disasters. The organization chosen for the award receives a \\$100,000 grant from the Travelers Foundation.

“Preparedness is critical to a quick and effective response to catastrophes, and it greatly aids in recovery,” said Joan Woodward, President of the Travelers Institute and Executive Vice President of Public Policy at Travelers. “That’s why we’re proud to launch the Travelers Excellence in Community Resilience Award today and to honor this year’s recipient, Team Rubicon, for its outstanding disaster response efforts.”

"Team Rubicon has seen firsthand how a little preparedness can go a long way in the relief and recovery phases of a disaster,” said Jake Wood, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Team Rubicon. “We're honored to be selected for the Travelers Excellence in Community Resilience Award - an award that will vastly improve our ability to train our veterans to respond to disasters and help those in need."

Travelers is the presenting sponsor of Nature’s Fury: The Science of Natural Disasters, currently on view at the American Museum of Natural History through August 9, 2015. Symposium attendees will have the opportunity to view this compelling exhibit about the causes of hurricanes, earthquakes, and other natural phenomena, and how communities handle these crises.

Edmond A. Mathez, curator of Nature’s Fury and curator in the Museum’s Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, will deliver the keynote address. Woodward will moderate a panel discussion on hurricane preparedness. Panelists will include:

  • Rohit Aggarwala, Principal, Sustainability, Bloomberg Associates; Professor of Professional Practice and International and Public Affairs, Columbia University;
  • Klaus H. Jacob, Special Research Scientist, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University;
  • Jake Wood, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Team Rubicon; and
  • Daniel Zarrilli, Director, Mayor’s Office of Recovery and Resiliency, City of New York.

“Extreme weather events can paralyze an entire economy, underscoring the need for careful storm preparation,” said Kathryn Wylde, President and CEO of the Partnership for New York City. “This symposium plays an important role in establishing the collaboration between business, government, and residents that is needed to make sure our economy and communities can withstand whatever the weather brings our way.”