Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: October 3, 2005 <br />Action Agenda <br />Item No. I <br />SUBJECT: Emergency Planning and Preparedness in Orange County <br />DEPARTMENT: Emergency Management PUBLIC HEARING: (Y /N) No <br />ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />2002 Evacuation Study Jack Ball, 968 -2050 <br />Executive Summary <br />Orange County Multi- Hazard Plan <br />(under separate cover) <br />EM Specialist 2006 Scope of Work <br />All Hazards Guide Extract <br />Quick Reference Card <br />PURPOSE: To provide the Board of Commissioners with requested updates on the County's <br />emergency planning and preparedness efforts that have occurred since 2001. <br />BACKGROUND: During the Board's regular meeting that occurred September 7th, 2005, the <br />BOCC directed staff to report on activities that have occurred since 2001 in regards to public <br />emergency preparedness, and emergency planning. <br />Most of the work that staff has completed since then has been related to projects directed by <br />federal grant requirements. Therefore, planning efforts since have been directed primarily <br />towards terrorism preparedness, response, and recovery. Grants have: funded an evacuation <br />study completed in 2002 (executive summary attached); funded planning efforts in 2003 to <br />update the Multi- Hazard Plan (provided under separate cover) in regards to weapons of mass <br />destruction; and over a three year period, funded equipment, training, and exercises revolving <br />around terrorism. <br />The Department of Emergency Management determined in July 2005, that updates are <br />necessary in the County s emergency plans and the Emergency Management Specialist <br />included this in his work plan for 2006 (attached). This includes an "all- hazards" approach to <br />planning, and to include evacuation planning, and a focus on providing training to those <br />responsible for fiscal recovery efforts, and human services areas. <br />During the prior years, preparedness efforts oriented to the public were directed towards <br />terrorism preparedness, although staff have included "all- hazards" preparedness to the extent <br />possible consistent with grant requirements. Further, staff pursued additional grants that did not <br />have topical limitations, and have been able to fund more general outreach activities. Staff also <br />made a concerted effort to include non - English speaking residents in the preparedness <br />outreach activities. <br />