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1 <br /> ORANGE COUNTY <br /> BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br /> ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br /> Meeting Date: October 15, 2024 <br /> Action Agenda <br /> Item No. 4-a <br /> SUBJECT: Recognition of Graduates of the 2024 Orange County Youth Preparedness <br /> Camp <br /> DEPARTMENT: Cooperative Extension and <br /> Emergency Services <br /> ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: <br /> Jonathon Smith, County Extension <br /> Director, 919-245-2057 <br /> Sarah Pickhardt, Division Chief of <br /> Emergency Management, 919-245- <br /> 6135 <br /> Kirby Saunders, Emergency Services <br /> Director, 919-245-6123 <br /> PURPOSE: To recognize Chase Harris, Kai Stanford, and Nicholas Welch for fulfilling all of the <br /> requirements to graduate from the 2024 Orange County Youth Preparedness Camp, including <br /> completion of the PREP+6 Service project, impacting the disaster readiness level of twenty-one <br /> (21) area households. <br /> BACKGROUND: The Orange County Youth Preparedness Camp is an annual day camp for <br /> Orange County teens conducted by Orange County Cooperative Extension and Orange County <br /> Emergency Services. The Camp was first offered in 2018 and is based on the National Youth <br /> Preparedness Initiative founded by Mississippi State Extension. The Camp has been held <br /> annually in Orange County in 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023, and 2024. <br /> During the July 16-19, 2024 camp, students engaged with the Federal Emergency Management <br /> Agency (FEMA) Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) curriculum, exploring topics <br /> from search & rescue to emergency medical services to fire safety. Through experiential learning <br /> activities, presenters provided insight with youth into their career paths and responsibilities. Youth <br /> also earned CPR/AED certification and participated in a disaster simulation to apply skills learned <br /> throughout the week. <br /> In order to officially graduate from the camp, youth are encouraged to impact their community <br /> preparedness level by completing the PREP+6 project. This project requires each participating <br /> youth to help their own household as well as six other area households develop an emergency <br /> preparedness kit and communication plan. The camp participants provide educational resources <br /> from FEMA to each household and share additional guidance on ways to improve the household's <br /> readiness for future disasters. The teen then verifies the kit has been created and the <br /> communication plan has been completed. <br />