Last fall, New Yorkers found themselves in the midst of a recovery effort they could never have imagined before September 11th. In response, the FCBID took a number of steps to do its part to help our city recover and to prepare our district in the event of future emergency situations. IMMEDIATE RESPONSE Immediately following the tragedy, the FCBID:

ABOVE FIGHT BACK NY! T-SHIRTS ARE AVAILABLE AT THE INFOMATION KIOSK.

• Informed property owners of ways to submit data on vacant space to both REBNY and the New York State space banks that were established to help in the relocation of firms affected by the disaster.

• Compiled a Crisis Management Manual that consisted of information provided by various emergency response agencies, such as the NYPD, FBI, Postal Service, etc., regarding bomb threats and chemical and biological terrorism. Subsequent updates detailed procedures to be followed for mailroom security following the anthrax scares. The guide was distributed to owners, building managers, security directors and superintendents.

• Participated in several Metropolitan Antiterrorism Council meetings, which included officials from federal, state and local agencies that respond to terrorist or other emergency incidents. The FCBID Director of Public Services and the Public Safety Director joined a Public Safety sub-committee of the council, which stresses the importance of more direct involvement by BID Public Safety officers and supervisors in emergency preparedness and response.

• Participated in APPL (Area Police-Private Security Liaison) meetings and
seminars concerning general emergency response procedures and other public safety issues.

• Distributed a questionnaire to all our property management constituents requesting updated emergency contact information, including home telephone numbers and email addresses, to establish a more efficient system for contacting our members.

• Distributed a flash fax to over 5000 businesses in the district, notifying them of emergency relief funds and how to apply for them.

• Hosted a meeting of fashion industry organizations to discuss ways to help companies adversely affected by the disaster and the ensuing long- and short-term economic repercussions. We also helped promote the relief efforts of UNITE and the Greater Blouse Association.

FIGHT BACK NY! CAMPAIGN
The FCBID also launched Fight Back NY!, a campaign to encourage New Yorkers and visitors to do their part in getting the City’s economy back on track.

In the aftermath of the attack, New York’s economy suffered, in part, because people stopped patronizing restaurants, stores, movies and shows. In response, the FCBID launched Fight Back NY!, a public awareness campaign that encouraged New Yorkers and visitors to support our city through their discretionary spending by going back into our restaurants, theaters and stores.

Throughout the Fashion District, the FCBID displayed banners and distributed buttons and posters with various slogans including: Go Shop!, Eat Out!, See a Show!, and Spend Money! Fight Back NY! proved so popular that the FCBID even created t-shirts, which are still being sold (at cost) at the Fashion Center Information Kiosk and through www.fightbackny.com. Graphic design for the Fight Back NY! project was generously contributed by Worldstudio, Inc. graphic design. The FCBID thanks the following organizations and companies who supported this campaign through the bulk purchase of t-shirts and buttons: 14th Street – Union Square Development Corp., Metrotech BID, Pesetsky & Bookman, NY Design Center, Brooklyn Alliance, Restaurant Associates, Rudin Management, ABNY, Nicole Miller, Fashion News Workshop, BR Guest, Steve’s Authentic, SIK Associates, Byrnam Wood, 450 Seventh Avenue Associates, LUCKY Magazine, AMC, McAnn’s Bar and Restaurant. RIGHT THOUSANDS OF FIGHT BACK NY! BUTTONS WERE DISTRIBUTED THIS FALL.

ABOVE FIGHT BACK NY! BANNERS ENCOURAGED NEW YORKERS AND VISITORS TO HELP IN OUR ECONOMIC RECOVERY.