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ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />PROCLAMATION TO RECOGNIZE SEPTEMBER 2008 AS <br />ORANGE COUNTY PREPAREDNESS MONTH <br />WHEREAS, the month of September is recognized nationally as Preparedness Month by the <br />President of the United States and Department of Homeland Security to raise <br />awareness of the importance of emergency preparedness; and <br />WHEREAS, the Healthy Carolinians of Orange County Partnership's 2007 Community Health <br />Assessment revealed that 53% of homes surveyed did not have a household <br />emergency plan and that 56% of homes surveyed did not have all the essential <br />items needed for a sudden evacuation; and <br />WHEREAS, the September 2004 Rapid Community Health and Needs Assessment data <br />collected by the NC Division of Public Health and Centers for Disease Control <br />after Hurricanes Isabel and Charley showed that power outages caused by the <br />storms restricted residents (especially those with lower incomes) from accessing <br />medical care, food, and water; and <br />WHEREAS, the month of September has in the past been a period of high hurricane and <br />tropical storm activity for the State of North Carolina; and <br />WHEREAS, Orange County has a strong emergency response system that includes <br />emergency services, public health, social services, fire, rescue, law enforcement, <br />UNC Health Care, water rescue, animal protection, public information officers, <br />and citizen volunteer groups; and <br />WHEREAS, multiple agencies within Orange County work in partnership and individually to <br />educate the general public, businesses, faith and community based <br />organizations about the importance of emergency preparedness; and <br />WHEREAS, multiple agencies within Orange County work in partnership and individually to <br />respond to and recover from local emergencies; and <br />WHEREAS, proclaiming September as Orange County Preparedness Month will bring more <br />attention to the need for individual and family preparedness among Orange <br />County residents, and information provided during the month of September <br />about emergency preparedness will be beneficial throughout the year; <br />NOW, THEREFORE, we, the Orange County Board of Commissioners, do hereby proclaim <br />September 2008 as Orange County Preparedness Month. <br />This the 19th day of August 2008. <br />Barry Jacobs, Chair <br />Orange County Board of Commissioners <br />