The Second Annual National Tornado Preparedness Summit Set for Oklahoma City

OKLAHOMA CITY, March 8, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- More than 900 insurance industry, local, state and national government, first responders and emergency agencies will converge on Oklahoma City March 10-12 to exchange ideas and revise action plans on what to do before, during and after a tornado disaster.

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Farmers Insurance Mobile Claims Center Bus will be positioned inside Cox Conventional Hall, where Farmers insurance is also hosting the Exposition Hall. "We invite everyone attending to visit and tour the Farmers Insurance Catastrophe Bus," said Kim Decker, Farmers Director of Government and Industry Affairs and Co-Chair of the Tornado Summit Committee. "It is one of three that are deployed immediately following a disaster anywhere in the contiguous United States to help our customers and non-customers alike. On board is state-of-the-art satellite communications equipment, satellite phones, laptops, supplies and food for victims of disasters."

The summit idea began in 2011 as a discussion between various Farmers Insurance representatives and Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner John Doak. "Commissioner Doak felt that lessons learned from recent tornado disasters should be provided to homeowners throughout the country," said Decker. "The inaugural summit drew approximately 800 participants from 26 states, and a stellar lineup of experts on disaster preparedness including Jim Cantore of the Weather Channel."

The second summit has grown to 900 registrants from 30 states. "We have exhibitor booths, a Weather Fair with life saving demonstrations for families, and a great group of Insurance professionals, four governors, state insurance commissioners, emergency managers, meteorologists, the National Weather Service, as well as two international experts," Decker added. "They will all exchange ideas and recommend new best practices to improve how states respond to disasters, help save lives and mitigate property loss," Decker said.

Anyone wanting to attend the Summit can register online at www.tornadosummit.org.

Farmers Insurance Group of Companies is a leading U.S. insurer group of automobiles, homes and small businesses and also provides a wide range of other insurance and financial services products. Farmers Insurance is proud to serve more than 10 million households with more than 20 million individual policies across all 50 states through the efforts of over 50,000 exclusive and independent agents and nearly 24,000 employees.

Farmers is a trade name and refers to the business activities of Farmers Group, Inc. and the Farmers Exchanges. Farmers Group, Inc., along with its subsidiaries, is wholly owned by the Zurich Insurance Group, and provides non-claims administrative services to the Farmers Exchanges. The Farmers Exchanges are three reciprocal insurers (Farmers Insurance Exchange, Fire Insurance Exchange and Truck Insurance Exchange), including their subsidiaries and affiliates, owned by their policyholders. For more information about Farmers, visit its Web site at www.farmers.com or at www.Facebook.com/FarmersInsurance.