Agenda 03-17-2026; 8-h - Approval of the 2026 Orange County Heat Action Plan

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15 Action 5:Youth Heat Safety Education Distribute youth heat safety workbooks and educational materials. Orange County will create digital and hard copy materials with key heat safety information,including heat safety workbooks.These materials will also be available in Spanish.These educational materials will be distributed prior to the heat season,and distribution sites will include schools,Little Free Libraries,community centers,children's museums and pediatric offices.Specific information will be specifically targeted at .®s youth athletes,coaches,parents,and athletic directors. Cooperative Extension,school districts,and city parks and recreation Action 7:"Cool"Events Promotion will be recruited to assist with distribution.Electronic versions will be distributed through the Orange County Heat website,community Plan for and promote community events taking place in air-conditioned partners'websites,and community social media groups.Distribution spaces. sites will be revisited monthly during the heat season to track Community access to cool spaces is key to the prevention of heat related workbooks received and distribute additional materials as necessary. illness and preservation of community life and well-being during By creating and distributing materials targeting youth,the Heat Cohort periods of extreme heat.Orange County Community Relations will will help to inform,educate,prepare and protect this heat-vulnerable document community events taking place over the summer that occur population. in air-conditioned spaces or that deliberately offer a place for attendees Community Partners: to cool off(e.g.,a primarily outdoor festival with an indoor,always- School districts,libraries,children's museums,pediatric offices, accessible,air-conditioned section). Cooperative Extension,City Parks and Recreation,DEAPR,Peach Jar, These events will be publicized via linked events on the OCNCGov YMCA,Chapel Hill Coach's Academy,athletic departments,PTAs, Facebook page and Nextdoor messages when extreme heat is in the summer camps forecast,as well as with signage around town.By reaching out to the public about events in their area,Orange County will provide residents Action 6: Medical and Disability Education with tools to minimize harmful effects of extreme heat. Distribute educational materials on how heat can interact with Community Partners: mental and physical conditions. City and County Parks and Recreation,Visitors Bureau,Athletic Directors, The County aims to create digital and hard copy materials with OC Community Relations,and Community Based Organizations information on the ways heat can exacerbate preexisting medical conditions.These materials should address physical,mental,acute,and chronic conditions,as all can be affected by extreme heat.Additionally, Outreach and Education to Prepare and these documents will educate about other environmental health Protect the Public-Metrics factors that can exist synergistically with heat such as particulate Ongoing Actions matter pollution.These materials will be created in collaboration with a medical or public health expert.Hard copies of these materials should 1. Social media analytics be distributed through community centers and local government 2. Number of educational materials developed and events,as well as consenting medical facilities.Electronic versions will distributed be distributed through the Orange County Heat website,community Future Actions partners'websites,and community social media groups.Creating these materials will educate residents on ways that health conditions may be 1. Number of"cool"events promoted negatively impacted by heat stress. 2. Number of outdoor workers group meetings hosted Community Partners: 3. Number of attendees at workers group meetings Health Department,Medical facilities,Community Based Organizations like Carolina Advocates 13