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5 <br /> b. Orange County Emergency Preparedness Month Proclamation <br /> The Board approved a proclamation declaring September 2024 as"Orange County Preparedness <br /> Month". <br /> BACKGROUND: National Preparedness Month is recognized each September to promote family <br /> and community disaster planning now and throughout the year. The focus of this year's <br /> Preparedness Month is on empowering Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander <br /> communities to act today to prepare for future risks and disasters. <br /> North Carolina continues to experience an unusually high volume of disasters, to include severe <br /> weather, flooding events, and extreme temperatures. So far this year, Orange County has <br /> experienced multiple watches and warnings issued by the National Weather Service for severe <br /> weather and flooding. The 2024 Hurricane Season outlook continues to be above normal in <br /> predictions for both severity and frequency of storms. <br /> Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities face unique barriers when it <br /> comes to accessing disaster preparedness information and resources that take their languages, <br /> experiences, and cultures into consideration. A 2024 Federal Emergency Management Agency <br /> (FEMA) survey of households across the country reported that 65% of Asian Americans and 58% <br /> of Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islanders surveyed indicated that they did noy believe taking a step <br /> to prepare would make a difference and were not confident in their ability to prepare. The Asian <br /> American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities in Orange County have grown by <br /> over 22% since 2010. <br /> It is critical as a community to work together to ensure that all residents are connected and <br /> prepared to remain resilient in the face of future disasters. <br /> Sarah Pickhardt, Chief of Emergency Management thanked the Board for the previous <br /> proclamation. She said September is National Preparedness Month and agencies across the <br /> country come together to emphasize the importance of preparedness. She said preparedness <br /> involves the collaboration of the private sector, government, non-profits, and individuals. She said <br /> this year they are specifically focused on Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander <br /> communities. She said they face unique barriers when it comes to accessing disaster <br /> preparedness information and resources that take their languages, experience, and culture into <br /> consideration. She said this community has grown by 22% in Orange County since 2010, so <br /> putting a special focus on reaching them and developing plans is very important. <br /> Commissioner Portie-Ascott read the following proclamation: <br /> ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br /> PROCLAMATION <br /> September 2024 - "Orange County Preparedness Month" <br /> WHEREAS, it is critical for every community, business, family, and individual in Orange County <br /> to be prepared for natural and man-made disasters, including tornadoes,flooding, and hurricanes, <br /> as well as disease outbreaks like COVID-19; and <br /> WHEREAS, in 2018, Hurricane Florence brought significant rainfall in September, and was <br /> followed by Tropical Storm Michael in October; both storms causing widespread power outages <br /> and flooding,with Florence resulting in more than $26 million in damages while Michael exceeded <br /> $500,000; and <br />