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1 <br /> ORANGE COUNTY <br /> BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br /> ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br /> Meeting Date : April 15 , 2003 <br /> Action Agenda <br /> Item No . <br /> SUBJECT .• Regional Evacuation Study <br /> DEPARTMENT : Emergency Management PUBLIC HEARING : (YIN ) No <br /> ATTACHMENT ( S ) : INFORMATION CONTACT : <br /> Evacuation Study Nick Waters , ext 3030 <br /> (under separate cover) <br /> TELEPHONE NUMBERS : <br /> Hillsborough 732 =8181 <br /> Chapel Hill 9684501 <br /> Durham 688 =7331 <br /> Mebane 336 -227 -2031 <br /> PURPOSE : To receive a report on a study of a seven county region ( including Johnston , <br /> Chatham , Wake , Durham , Alamance , Guilford and Orange ) that assessed the abilities of <br /> governments to evacuate or isolate all or part of that region in case of emergency and that <br /> identified some available resources within the region . <br /> BACKGROUND : Orange County departments involved in planning for terrorism that had <br /> started addressing the need to evacuate or isolate citizens in part or all of the County in certain <br /> potential emergencies realized that the need for better planning guidance existed . Concerns <br /> were also expressed that some hazards , which threaten the citizens of Orange County , may be <br /> from sources outside the County . There was agreement that the region needed to be included <br /> in a " capabilities assessment " to determine if evacuation was possible . <br /> Following several staff level emergency management meetings , Orange County submitted to <br /> the State a request for anti -terrorism grant planning funds on behalf of seven counties in the <br /> Triangle region . Emergency Managers , local officials and others expressed concern that no <br /> regional plans exist to address quarantine or evacuation and hosting of the counties ' <br /> populations . The grant focused on a feasibility study for evacuation of a six county area along 1 - <br /> 40 from Johnston County to Guilford County . Among other points , the study was designed to <br /> examine : <br /> How evacuation might be accomplished <br /> What roads would be involved <br /> • The expected traffic flow per hour <br /> How much and what population would be left that could not self- evacuate <br /> • How long an evacuation would take <br /> What percentage evacuation could be done by hour <br /> What local governments would be expected to do <br />