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6 <br /> Introduction <br /> Extreme heat is becoming more intense and more frequent in Orange <br /> County.This poses a threat to human health,especially to residents r ; <br /> and visitors who are at increased risk for heat-related illnesses and <br /> to those whose living and working conditions put them at risk for <br /> increased exposure to heat.Rising summer temperatures make it even <br /> more urgent to identify strategies to manage heat.Warmer days make <br /> outdoor activities riskier,especially for those not acclimated to extreme <br /> heat.Rapidly rising nighttime temperatures have been shown to pose <br /> an even greater threat to human health,particularly for people without _ ! <br /> the ability to be in an air-conditioned space.A comprehensive heat <br /> action plan is essential to help our community plan for and respond to <br /> extreme heat effectively. <br /> The purpose of the Heat Action Plan for Orange County is to identify <br /> the steps our community can take to prepare residents for excessive In order to achieve these objectives,three central action areas have <br /> heat. been identified.These action areas are: <br /> Central to this plan are the following key objectives: 1. Outreach and education to prepare and protect the public <br /> 1. Increase community awareness: 2. Enhanced emergency response mechanisms during acute heat <br /> • Educate the community about the local impacts of extreme heat events <br /> in Orange County 3. Cooling of homes and communities <br /> • Address heat disparities caused by historic discriminatory policies By focusing on these three action areas and outlining specific heat <br /> through inclusive engagement,fair policies,and targeted actions under each goal,this plan aims to create a flexible yet <br /> investments coordinated response to extreme heat across the County,protecting and <br /> 2. Reduce Heat-Related Health Issues: preparing the community as temperatures rise. <br /> • Lower the number of heat-related illnesses and deaths Related County and Municipal Plans <br /> • Develop programs and services to protect public health,quality This Heat Action Plan does not operate in isolation,and heat actions are <br /> of life,and the environment without increasing vulnerability to designed to align with and augment existing and future plans in Orange <br /> other hazards or harming health County,Hillsborough,Carrboro,and Chapel Hill.Associated plans <br /> 3. Evaluate Education Programs: include but are not limited to the following: <br /> • Assess the effectiveness of education and outreach programs in • Orange County Climate Action Plan <br /> the plan • Chapel Hill Climate Action and Response Plan <br /> 4. Enhance Long-Term Resilience: • Carrboro Community Climate Action Plan <br /> • Improve Orange County's ability to cope with long-term warming . Hillsborough Comprehensive Sustainability Plan <br /> trends <br /> • Use green,nature-based solutions when possible and ensure • Emergency Operations Plans <br /> actions are adaptable to future conditions • Eno-Haw Hazard Mitigation Plan <br /> 5. Align with Existing Plans: <br /> • Ensure the Heat Action Plan complements existing plans <br /> • Future plans should also consider extreme heat and the Heat <br /> Action Plan in their development <br /> 4 <br />