Hyundai celebrated both National Public Works Week and National Beach Safety Week on May 25, where four Hyundai vehicles were donated to support the Marine Safety Division's work of keeping beachgoers safe in the City of Santa Cruz, CA.
With an approximate value of $164,000, the four-vehicle donation is the largest vehicle donation to a city by Hyundai Motor America to date.
"Santa Cruz comes with powerful and efficient engines and superb maneuverability to ensure it is a pleasure to drive in urban or off-road environments," said Trevor Lai, senior manager, product planning, Hyundai Motor North America. "We are honored to help keep beachgoers safe in the City of Santa Cruz by supporting the City of Santa Cruz Marine Safety Division."
The ribbon-cutting included remarks from Fred Keeley, mayor of Santa Cruz, Rob Oatey, Santa Cruz fire chief, Nathan Nguyen, Santa Cruz public works director, and Lai.
"These vehicles are going to be game-changing in terms of bolstering our current fleet of vehicles that are available not only for patrol, but for the emergency response for the water rescues we have all year round," said Oatey. "Especially the way they are designed in terms of being lightweight and more compact. It provides better visibility. Our dense beaches can be extremely hazardous to navigate in vehicles, and the better visibility all around is going to enhance safety."
National Beach Safety Week is sponsored annually by the U.S. Lifesaving Association to remind beachgoers to use caution in the aquatic environment.
This year's National Public Works Week theme was "Connecting the World Through Public Works," underscoring how public works connects us all through infrastructure and service, enhancing quality of life for the community.
Source: Hyundai
Abby Andrews