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{These matters were considered when the Board addressed that item an the agenda <br />below.) <br />The Chair moved the Manager's Report before the Board Comments to <br />get a hurricane update. <br />4. County Manager's Report <br />John Link recognized EMS Director Jack Ball. <br />Jack Ball said that Orange County has been responsive to victims of Hurricane Katrina <br />through the State. They have provided personnel support and resources to the affected areas. <br />Last week they received a call from the state to assist in transporting patients from RDU to <br />various hospitals. They responded with the mass casualty bus and four ambulances. The <br />airplanes were diverted to another area, sa they stepped down. However, they were able to <br />help with evacuees. They were also asked by the State to provide additional resources to St. <br />Tammany, Louisiana. There are two telecommunicators there providing communication <br />capabilities and they will return in about 14 days. He was also asked by the State this afternoon <br />to provide two additional personnel fora 16-man emergency operation team. On the home <br />front, they have been meeting with their partners in looking for options in providing assistance to <br />shelter evacuees. They would provide support to Raleigh, Charlotte, and Greensboro. They <br />are also partnering with the Inter-Faith Council and Orange Congregations in Mission to identify <br />host families interested in assisting with evacuees. They are in daily contact with the State <br />Emergency Management Agency. <br />Commissioner Halkiotis said that he has been thinking about the level of preparedness <br />in Orange County. He said that if they were in a situation where there was no electricity; in his <br />opinion, they need to develop a hard copy of emergency management procedures for the <br />public. It is great that the plan is on the website, but if there was no electricity it is useless. The <br />hardcopy could have information such as where the central shelter is in central and northern <br />Orange County. This is C.W. Stanford Middle School. In the southern part of the County it is <br />Smith Middle School. He would like an update on the plan for a disaster. <br />Jack Ball said that he and Eric Griffin talked today about getting this guide to a form for <br />all citizens. It is too expensive to get together for everyone. Eric Griffin has had contact with <br />media about a pull out section on this topic. They are also looking at putting this guidebook on <br />a CD-ROM. <br />Commissioner Jacobs agreed with Commissioner Halkiotis that they have not revisited <br />the disaster plan in a long time. He would feel responsible if things went wrong like they did in <br />Louisiana. He wants to know what is expected of him in this type of disaster. He cannot believe <br />that when people entered a shelter, their names did not immediately go on a predetermined <br />website so that relatives could find their family members. He wants to be prepared and <br />confident that Orange County is as ready as possible. <br />Jack Ball said that it is prudent to review your plans every two years. <br />Commissioner Gordan echoed the other responses. She asked if the new <br />communication devices that will be bought would work in an emergency. She said that <br />communications have to include the elected officials and there are plans for them to have cell <br />phones and computers, but they would not work in a situation like New Orleans. She asked <br />how elected officials would communicate in an emergency of this magnitude in Orange County. <br />She would also like to find out again the evacuation plans for different types of disasters. <br />Jack Ball said that the state of North Carolina does have mobile communication <br />devices to pull in and raise antennas to provide temporary communications in the region. It is <br />an expensive program, and they have been successful with same grants. He said that even if <br />cell and radio towers go down they do have a satellite phone in the Emergency Operations <br />