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3 <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 /> In 2024, Nicholas Welch and Kai Stanford of Chapel Hill and Chase Harris of Hurdle Mills <br /> completed the camp graduation requirements and assisted a combined twenty-one (21) area <br /> households to become better prepared for emergencies. These young leaders now posess the <br /> skills to effectively help themselves, their families, and their communities in the event of an <br /> emergency. <br /> Kathleen Rogers, 4-H Program Assistant, and Sarah Pickhardt, Division Chief of <br /> Emergency Management, reviewed the background information for the item. Kathleen indicated <br /> that one of the graduates could not make it tonight, but Nicholas Welch and Chase Harris were <br /> present. <br /> Sarah Pickhardt described the work completed by the graduates during the youth <br /> preparedness camp. She said because of them, 21 different households in the community are <br /> now more prepared for a disaster. <br /> b. Proclamation Recognizing 25 Years of Orange County Conservation Initiatives/Great <br /> Trails State Day <br /> The Board approved a proclamation recognizing the 25th anniversary of implementation of a <br /> series of conservation initiatives by Orange County, including the creation of the (then) <br /> Environment and Resource Conservation Department and the Lands Legacy Program; as well as <br /> the celebration of Great Trails State Day on October 19, 2024. <br /> BACKGROUND: Based on a request by former Commissioner Alice Gordon at the Board's May <br /> 21, 2024 Business meeting, staff has worked to develop a commemoration of twenty-five (25) <br /> years of the following actions from 1998/99: <br /> • Creation of an environmental department to focus on natural and cultural resource <br /> conservation and preservation initiatives and programs. The department was officially <br />