100 Counties Prepared Task Force holds kickoff meeting, discusses emergency preparedness training for county commissioners

N.C. Association of County Commissioners President Frank Williams’ 100 Counties Prepared Task Force held its kickoff meeting in Raleigh on Thursday, Oct. 13, 2021. The initiative 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.

“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.

This kickoff meeting allowed task force members to gather and discuss the different areas of focus for the training they will develop. 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 plans to introduce the training program by next summer.

Additionally, 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.

Click here to learn more about the task force’s members.