The Carolinas NOAA Climate Adaptation Partnerships team, Carolinas Collaborative on Climate, Health, and Equity (C3HE), worked with the North Carolina Office of Recovery and Resiliency to launch the Heat Action Plan Toolkit. The toolkit provides resources for local government staff and community partners to help residents adapt to extreme heat. The primary target audience is local health departments. Tools include sample communications materials and protocols for cooling centers.
The Heat Action Plan Toolkit was also developed in collaboration with the State Climate Office of North Carolina and the North Carolina Office of Recovery and Resiliency, with support from: the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, the Heat Policy Innovation Hub at the Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment and Sustainability at Duke University, the NOAA National Weather Service – Raleigh Forecast Office, and Chatham County Health Department.
A press release from the North Carolina Department of Public safety included a quote from Governor Roy Cooper: “With the frequency and severity of extreme weather increasing, it’s more important than ever to build local resilience that will help protect people and save lives. The new toolkit provides valuable resources that will help local governments prepare for and respond to these potentially life-threatening events. The project also underscores how state partnerships are critical to finding climate solutions that benefit all North Carolinians.”
For more information, contact Kathie Dello and Rebecca Ward.
