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<br /> 1 weather, flooding, and tornadic activity. The 2021 Hurricane Season continues to be above-
<br /> 2 normal in predictions for both severity and frequency of storms.
<br /> 3
<br /> 4 Kirby Saunders, Emergency Services Director, said Governor Cooper switched
<br /> 5 Preparedness Month to August for North Carolina because hurricanes were continuing to
<br /> 6 impact the state in September, but September is still National Preparedness Month. He invited
<br /> 7 the Interim Emergency Management Coordinated, Sarah Pickhardt, to speak.
<br /> 8 Sarah Pickhardt reviewed the background information for this item. She said North
<br /> 9 Carolina and Orange County continue to experience a high volume of disasters, including the
<br /> 10 coronavirus pandemic, winter weather, severe weather, tornados, and infrastructure disruptions.
<br /> 11 She said the 2021 hurricane season is being watched closely and expected to be more severe
<br /> 12 than normal. She thanked the Board for its ongoing commitment to preparedness
<br /> 13 Commissioner Fowler read the proclamation:
<br /> 14
<br /> 15 ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
<br /> 16 PROCLAMATION
<br /> 17 September 2021 - "Orange County Preparedness Month"
<br /> 18
<br /> 19 WHEREAS, it is critical for every community, business, family, and individual in Orange County
<br /> 20 to be prepared for natural and man-made disasters, including tornadoes, flooding, and
<br /> 21 hurricanes, as well as disease outbreaks like COVID-19; and
<br /> 22
<br /> 23 WHEREAS, Orange County has seen a high activity of severe weather— in 2020, the National
<br /> 24 Weather Service issued 13 Severe Thunderstorm Warnings, 4 Flash Flood Warnings, 4 Flood
<br /> 25 Warning, and 3 Tornado Warnings; and
<br /> 26
<br /> 27 WHEREAS, Orange County experienced an estimated $1.2 million in estimated damages from
<br /> 28 severe weather in 2020; and
<br /> 29
<br /> 30 WHEREAS, in 2018, Hurricane Florence brought significant rainfall in September, and was
<br /> 31 followed by Tropical Storm Michael in October, with both storms causing widespread power
<br /> 32 outages and flooding, and Florence resulting in more than $26 million in damages while Michael
<br /> 33 exceeded $500,000; and
<br /> 34
<br /> 35 WHEREAS, on March 13, 2020, the Chair to the Board of County Commissioners declared a
<br /> 36 State of Emergency to coordinate the County's response and protective actions to address the
<br /> 37 COVID-19 public health emergency and provide for the health, safety, and welfare of the
<br /> 38 Orange County community; and
<br /> 39
<br /> 40 WHEREAS, community members can take a few simple steps— creating an emergency supply
<br /> 41 kit, making a family disaster plan, and staying informed —to help make preparedness a personal
<br /> 42 responsibility and improved health a priority in our community; and
<br /> 43
<br /> 44 WHEREAS, the Orange County Emergency Services Emergency Management Division, along
<br /> 45 with emergency managers throughout the nation, has collaborated to recognize September as
<br /> 46 National Preparedness Month, and encourage Orange County community members to stay
<br /> 47 informed and prepared;
<br /> 48
<br /> 49 NOW, THEREFORE, we, the Orange County Board of County Commissioners, do hereby
<br /> 50 declare September 2021 as "Orange County Preparedness Month."
<br /> 51
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