Agenda - 10-06-20; 8-a - Minutes

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24 1 2 BACKGROUND: 3 National Preparedness Month is recognized each September to promote family and community 4 disaster planning now and throughout the year. The theme of this year's National Preparedness 5 Month is "Disasters Don't Wait. Make your plan today." 6 7 North Carolina has experienced an unusually high volume of disasters this year, to include the 8 ongoing Coronavirus pandemic, tornadoes, earthquakes, and hurricanes. To date, Orange 9 County has experienced over 30 watches and warnings issued by the National Weather Service 10 for severe weather, flooding, and tornadic activity. The Orange County Emergency Operations 11 Center (EOC) has set records for activation length this year at well over 200 days. The EOC 12 remains activated to respond to the ongoing Coronavirus Pandemic as well as monitor for 13 potential threats from the 2020 hurricane season, which is predicted to be extremely active. 14 15 Sarah Pickhardt read the proclamation. 16 17 ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS 18 PROCLAMATION 19 20 Orange County Preparedness Month 21 September 2020 22 23 WHEREAS, it is critical for every community, business, family, and individual in Orange County 24 to be prepared for natural and man-made disasters, including tornadoes, flooding, and 25 hurricanes, as well as disease outbreaks like COVID-19; and 26 27 WHEREAS, Orange County has seen a high activity of severe weather during 2019, with the 28 National Weather Service issuing 23 Severe Thunderstorm Warnings, two Flash Flood 29 Warnings, one Flood Warning, and eight Tornado Warnings; and 30 31 WHEREAS, Orange County experienced an estimated $2.1 million in estimated damages from 32 severe weather in 2019; and 33 34 WHEREAS, in 2018, Hurricane Florence brought significant rainfall in September, followed by 35 Tropical Storm Michael in October, and both storms caused widespread power outages and 36 flooding, with Florence resulting in more than $26 million in damages while Michael exceeded 37 $500,000; and 38 39 WHEREAS, on March 13, 2020, the Chair of the Board of County Commissioners declared a 40 State of Emergency to coordinate the County's response and protective actions to address the 41 COVID-19 public health emergency and provide for the health, safety, and welfare of the 42 Orange County community; and 43 44 WHEREAS, community members can take a few simple steps— creating an emergency supply 45 kit, making a family disaster plan, and staying informed —to help make preparedness a personal 46 responsibility and improved health a priority in our community; and 47 48 WHEREAS, Orange County Emergency Services Emergency Management Division, along with 49 emergency managers throughout the nation, have collaborated to recognize September as 50 National Preparedness Month, and encourage Orange County community members to stay 51 informed and prepared;