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Transylvania County Commissioner Joins 100 Counties Prepared Task Force Meeting to Discuss Disaster and Emergency Preparedness Training for County Commissioners

Transylvania, N.C. – Transylvania County Commissioner Teresa McCall joined the kick-off meeting of the 100 Counties Prepared Task Force, an initiative led by the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners. This initiative was announced by NCACC President and Brunswick County Commissioner Frank Williams and aims to equip county commissioners statewide with the tools they need to lead effectively during emergencies. The task force will develop training for county commissioners on how to prepare, respond, and lead during emergencies and will focus specifically on the role of a county commissioner in these situations.

“Transylvania County has robust emergency management with experience managing response to everything from adverse weather and forest fires to public health emergencies like COVID and hazardous spills. This critical function is often overlooked because emergency management operates 24/7 in the background of our community so that we are prepared when disaster strikes with well thought out plans that operate efficiently and infrastructure necessary to get the job done,” Commissioner McCall said, “I am excited to be able to bring the lessons learned to the statewide task force while also helping NCACC emphasize how important preparedness is for resilient communities.”

“I am grateful to have such a diverse group of county leaders willing to serve on this task force and am excited about the energy and enthusiasm I witnessed during our kickoff meeting,” said President Williams.

Chief of Staff to The University of North Carolina System Norma Houston spoke during the task force meeting to share her insights and perspectives on how to develop a highly effective disaster and emergency preparedness training program. Houston is an expert in emergency management, local government ethics, and public purchasing and procurement. She has spent years training local officials through her position as faculty at the UNC-Chapel Hill School of Government and will continue to advise the task force during the year-long initiative.

Led by Co-Chairs Guilford County Commissioner Kay Cashion and Brunswick County Commissioner Randy Thompson, the 100 Counties Prepared Task Force represents counties from across the state and recognizes the range of disasters that can occur throughout the state.

Members include:
• Kay Cashion, Task Force Co-Chair, Guilford County Commissioner
• Randy Thompson, Task Force Co-Chair, Brunswick County Commissioner
• Tracey Johnson, NCACC President-Elect, Washington County Commissioner
• Glenn Adams, Cumberland County Commissioner
• Kitty Barnes, Catawba County Commissioner
• Kevin Gordon, Cleveland County Commissioner
• Maria Cervania, Wake County Commissioner
• Hope Haywood, Randolph County Commissioner
• Ann Keyes, Washington County Commissioner
• Teresa McCall, Transylvania County Commissioner
• Linda Rouse Sutton, Lenoir County Commissioner
• Gordon Wilder, Vance County Commissioner
• Kris Noble, Hyde County Manager
• Marche Pittman, Polk County Manager
• Robin Caldwell, Cherokee County Emergency Services Director & President of the North Carolina Emergency Management Association

This kickoff meeting allowed task force members to gather and discuss the different areas of focus for the training they will develop. NCACC President Williams encouraged the task force to orient the training around three components: education, resources, and relationships. The task force will continue to meet every

other month and plan to introduce the training program by next summer. For more information on the task force and its work, visit 100countiesprepared.com.
The North Carolina Association of County Commissioners (NCACC) is a non-partisan organization, which represents the official voice of all 100 counties on issues considered by the General Assembly, Congress, and federal and state agencies. The Association provides expertise to counties in the areas of advocacy, research, risk management and education and leadership training.