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1 <br /> ORANGE COUNTY <br /> BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br /> ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br /> Meeting Date: April 15, 2014 <br /> Action Agenda <br /> Item No. 6-j <br /> SUBJECT: Designation of Orange County Agent for FEMA Public Assistance <br /> DEPARTMENT: Emergency Services PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No <br /> Financial Services <br /> ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: <br /> Resolution — Designation of Applicant's Jim Groves, 919-245-6140 <br /> Agent Shari Porterfield, 919-245-2456 <br /> Clarence Grier, 919-245-2453 <br /> Josh Hollingsworth, 919-245-6138 <br /> PURPOSE: To designate an agent for Orange County's application for FEMA's Public <br /> Assistance for the recovery related to the March 6-7, 2014 Winter Storm. <br /> BACKGROUND: On March 6 and March 7, 2014 Orange County was greatly impacted by <br /> freezing rain, sleet, and snow that occurred in the overnight, early morning, and daytime hours. <br /> Because of the winter weather, the Orange County Emergency Operations Center was <br /> activated, which required staffing by County personnel and partnering agencies. <br /> Along with emergency protective measures that were taken by the County, numerous trees <br /> succumbed to the weight of ice from the freezing rain, and numerous trees fell in portions of the <br /> county, generating a significant amount of debris. Removal of this debris has been ongoing <br /> since the incident, and this has required a number of resources both from the County and the <br /> State of North Carolina. Orange County is currently handling debris collection at sites located <br /> within the County. <br /> Following the winter weather incident, a request was made to the State to conduct a damage <br /> assessment to assess if assistance could be provided. Upon conducting the assessment in <br /> Orange County, as well as a number or surrounding counties, the State then requested <br /> assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). <br /> On March 20, 2014, FEMA representatives met with Orange County and partnering agencies <br /> within the County to gather preliminary storm damage data. Following this meeting and <br /> meetings with other affected counties, it was determined that the State would meet the threshold <br /> to receive assistance from the federal government. The request for assistance was made by <br /> Governor Pat McCrory on March 25t". On March 31, 2014, Orange County, along with eight <br /> other counties, became federally declared disaster areas due to the ice storm (Disaster number- <br /> FEMA-4176-DR-NC). This declaration has granted the nine counties eligible to receive funding <br /> from FEMA's Public Assistance program. <br />