Fitch Teleconference: Hurricane Katrina Today at 2:45 p.m. EDT

Business Wire, Sept 13, 2005

NEW YORK -- Fitch Ratings will hold a teleconference today, Sept. 13, at 2:45 p.m. EDT to discuss Hurricane Katrina's effects on state, local government, and health care credits. The call will be hosted by Richard Raphael (states), Steve Murray, Jose Hernandez, and Mark Campa (local tax-backed), and Fred Martucci (health care).

Also on the call will be Amy Doppelt, Managing Director, Tax-Supported; David Litvack, Managing Director, Public Finance Criteria; and Mike Belsky, Group Managing Director.

Participants in the U.S. and Canada should call 888-266-4139 and callers outside the U.S. or Canada should dial 706-643-1860 five minutes prior to the 2:45 p.m. EDT start time and reference conference ID number 9540726. To ensure there are sufficient telephone lines available, use internal conferencing capabilities, if possible, for multiple listeners at a single location. If you would like to participate, e-mail pfconference.calls@fitchratings.com.

A replay of the teleconference will be available on today, Sept. 13, two hours after the call ends, until Tuesday, Sept. 20 at the close of the business day at 800-642-1687 (in the U.S. and Canada) or 706-645-9291 (outside the U.S. or Canada). The conference ID number for the replay is '9540726.'

Additionally, a replay of the teleconference will be archived on the Fitch web site. Soon after the teleconference, interested parties can find the appropriate link at the 'Teleconference & Online events,' which is located under 'Resource Library' on www.fitchratings.com.

Fitch's rating definitions and the terms of use of such ratings are available on the agency's public site, www.fitchratings.com. Published ratings, criteria and methodologies are available from this site, at all times. Fitch's code of conduct, confidentiality, conflicts of interest, affiliate firewall, compliance and other relevant policies and procedures are also available from the 'Code of Conduct' section of this site.