Dearborn automaker FoMoCo recently announced that they will be earmarking a sum for the victims of the raging wildfire in California, the hotbed of Japanese automakers in the United States. The automaker pledged to help via donation of money, vehicles, as well as manpower to the relief and recovery efforts in Southern California where millions have already been evacuated due to the raging wildfire. The automaker also announced that they would give their consumers from the area time to recover from the catastrophe before paying for their purchased vehicles.
FoMoCo has already put into motion the move that will see 20 specially-equipped vehicles help fire and rescue departments in their recovery effort on some of the areas most devastated by the fires. Eleven Ford F-250 and F-350 Super Duty trucks and nine Ford Expedition SUVs have been dispatched already by the automaker.
"Many Southern California Ford employees and Ford and Lincoln Mercury dealers share the concerns of their neighbors as they also have been affected by this devastating fire," said Hal Dewsnap, Ford Lincoln Mercury Los Angeles regional manager according to The Auto Channel. "Local fire and rescue officials told us they have an urgent need for heavy duty work trucks and SUVs. We located the 20 specially equipped vehicles at local dealerships and they are on their way to local fire and rescue squads."
Apart from the 29 specially-equipped vehicles, the Dearborn automaker also earmarked $100,000 to be donated to the San Diego Chapter of the American Red Cross. Said amount will be used to help with the relief efforts.
Jim Vella, president of the Ford Motor Company Fund said that the money donated will be used in different ways to help those who have been uprooted by the fires. "The San Diego Chapter Red Cross has a critical need for medical, food, water and other supplies, as well as counseling support for hundreds of residents forced from their homes," said Vella. "We are responding to this need immediately," he added.
The Ford Volunteer Corps, a program established by FoMoCo's Executive Chairman Bill Ford after the December 2004 tsunami in Southeast Asia will be once again called to duty. Employees of the automaker in Southern California will be called upon to donate some of their time and volunteer in the ongoing relief efforts.
Consumers who have leased or purchased a Ford, Jaguar, Volvo, Land Rover, Lincoln, Mercury, or -equipped vehicles will be given time by the automaker to pay for their vehicles. The automaker announced that these consumers will be allowed to delay their payments for their vehicles for one or two months. The automaker announced that the offer is available to any customer who are leasing or have purchased vehicles from Ford Credit, Jaguar Credit, Land River Capital, Mazda American Credit, PRIMUS or Volvo Car Finance.
