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1 <br /> ORANGE COUNTY <br /> BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br /> ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br /> Meeting Date: May 19, 2026 <br /> Action Agenda <br /> Item No. 8-f <br /> SUBJECT: Heat Awareness Week Proclamation <br /> DEPARTMENT: County Manager <br /> ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: <br /> Proclamation Mel Gilles, Sustainability Projects <br /> Analyst, 919-245-2300 <br /> PURPOSE: To approve a proclamation declaring May 18-22, 2026, as "Orange County Heat <br /> Awareness Week." <br /> BACKGROUND: Extreme heat is the leading weather-related cause of death in the U.S., <br /> claiming more lives in most years than hurricanes, floods, and tornadoes combined. In Orange <br /> County, it poses serious health risks, especially for residents most vulnerable to heat-related <br /> illness, outdoor workers, the unhoused, and those without adequate cooling and insulation or the <br /> means to afford high summer energy bills. As summer temperatures continue to rise and <br /> misconceptions about heat risk persist, the need to cool community residents and educate the <br /> public has become increasingly urgent. <br /> Orange County is experiencing more days and nights of dangerously high temperatures. Globally, <br /> 2023, 2024, and 2025 were the three hottest years on record, and 2024 saw twelve (12) days <br /> above 95°F — compared to a historical average of eight (8) days. By the 2060s, that number is <br /> projected to increase to 28-41 days annually, along with more days above 90°F and nights above <br /> 70°F, limiting the body's ability to recover and increasing the risk of heat-related illness. <br /> Former North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper and current Governor Josh Stein have previously <br /> proclaimed North Carolina Heat Awareness Week during late May to raise awareness of the <br /> state's continued climate warming trend and highlight newly available State resources to support <br /> local communities in their efforts to reduce impacts of extreme heat. <br /> The Orange County Heat Awareness Week proclamation will encourage the community to <br /> prepare in advance for high summer temperatures and the significant health risks residents and <br /> workers experience during hot weather. It will also kick off the Orange County Beat the Heat <br /> campaign, a four-month series of heat-related social media posts to educate the public about the <br /> impacts of extreme heat. <br /> FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no financial impact associated with the consideration of this <br /> proclamation. <br />