 VIDEO IN THE MAKING — A PEF member at the state Health Department in Albany is videotaped while checking mail for anthrax. — Photo by Sherry Halbrook Million dollar campaign seeks to save state services PEF launches ‘Hometown Heroes’ ad campaign By DENYCE DUNCAN LACY Anticipating a tough state budget and legislative year in the wake of the September 11 terrorists attacks and gloomy economic forecasts, PEF closed out 2001 by launching the first phase of a nearly million-dollar “Hometown Heroes” campaign designed to save critical state services and key PEF jobs. PEF President Roger Benson said the $250,000 print and broadcast ad blitz which began December 30 in the New York metropolitan area and the Capital District, aimed to reinforce public awareness of the essential services PEF members perform each day. “We’re conducting this media campaign because of the projected $6 billion to $9 billion state budget deficit, and we want to make sure essential public services are not sacrificed to fill that budget gap,” Benson said in announcing the campaign. “The public should know PEF’s 55,000 members deliver critical services that touch virtually every aspect of life for New York’s citizens. “On September 11th, our members responded when terrorists attacked the World Trade Center, but the truth is PEF members are heroes every single day,” the union leader added. Real workers, real heroes Benson said the ads feature some of PEF’s nurses, doctors, emergency medical technicians, mental health counselors and other skilled professionals who either worked or volunteered after the September 11 attacks. The ads also showcase PEF-represented state Health Department researchers checking mail samples for anthrax, and highlight the work of state food inspectors, engineers and environmental experts who protect New York food, air, water, roads and bridges. “Our Hometown Heroes campaign draws attention to the fact that PEF members are on the job for the public, not only in times of crisis, but every day. This ad campaign shows New Yorkers they benefit from our work 24 hours a day,” Benson said. Among the PEF members appearing in the ads, who either worked or volunteered after the World Trade Center attacks, were: Joel Vetter, a paramedic from SUNY Stony Brook; Deborah Egel, a mental health nurse from the Creedmoor Addiction Treatment Center in Queens; three members from South Beach Psychiatric Center in Staten Island — psychologists, Gary Bisogna and Mirta San Martin, and Toni Cavalenes, a social worker. Ed Lucas, a Department of Transportation civil engineer in Albany and Gene Phillips, a food inspector in Schenectady, also appear in the ads, along with a researcher from the state Health Department’s Wadsworth Lab in Albany. That member’s identity is not being revealed because of concerns over the safety of workers involved in fighting bioterrorism. Mass media outreach The media campaign included half-page ads in the New York Times and quarter-page ads in the Albany Times Union and Schenectady Daily Gazette, which appeared in the December 30, January 2, January 6 and January 9 issues. Similar ads appear in the January issue of Empire Staten Report magazine and the January 21 issue of the Legislative Gazette weekly newspaper. A 60 second radio spot and a 30 second television ad also began airing on January 2 and ran for one week on several stations in New York City and the Albany area, including: WINS-AM; WLTW-FM; WCBS-FM; WBLS-FM; WABC-TV; WNBC-TV; MSNBC-TV; CNBC-TV; A&E network; the History Channel; Lifetime; Discovery; the Learning Channel; News 12 (Long Island and Westchester); WTEN-TV; WNYT-TV; WRGB-TV; WNGA-AM/FM; WYJB-FM; WTRY-FM; and WROW. The ads were written, produced and designed by PEF’s Public Relations Department. The media ads are part of a larger effort by PEF’s Job Security Committee to save state services from state budget cuts. The campaign will continue throughout the 2002 state legislative session and will include member mobilization efforts such as lobbying and letter-writing blitzes, and media ads tailored to respond to specific state budget cuts, once they are unveiled. Back to Communicator Homepage |
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