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Blog
Hurricane season starts this Monday, June 1st and there have already been reports of a tropical depression in the Northern Atlantic.
This past Thursday, May 28th in an effort to make sure that North Carolina is ready in the case a hurricane; Governor Bev Perdue gathered her cabinet secretaries and emergency management officials for a hurricane simulation exercise. This mock exercise was important for us so we can be prepared and know our roles in the event of a storm. By working together we are making North Carolina a safer place during hurricane season.
In an effort to promote safety, the DOT has a special page on our website dedicated to travel in the case of an emergency. You can access this page by clicking on this link.
I encourage everyone to visit and review these tips today before actual danger is upon us, so you can take care of yourself and the ones you love.
Safe Travels!
Gov. Bev Perdue, members of her staff and a host of state officials participated May 28th in the Governor’s Hurricane Exercise, a first of its kind training event held in North Carolina for Cabinet and Council of State members.
The half-day training focused on a Category 4 Hurricane, the same size and intensity as Hurricane Floyd that wreaked havoc 10 years ago in North Carolina. The goal is to make sure we are prepared and ready to respond when disaster strikes.
Hurricane season is just around the corner and Gov. Perdue has proclaimed May 24-30 as Hurricane Preparedness Week. It’s a time for all North Carolinians to be prepared, get their emergency supply kits in order and be alert. The hurricane season runs June 1 to Nov. 30.
We don’t know when the next hurricane will hit our state, but it will. It’s our job to be ready and respond. That helps us save lives and reduce losses.
North Carolina is full of individuals who work tirelessly to provide vital services to our residents. As state and local employees, their positive attitude, unselfish dedication and consistent service should be valued by us all, especially at a time when economic troubles place a greater strain on them and the services that they provide.
One of those employees is Ms. Lucille Pitts. Ms. Pitts is retiring this month after 65 years of service in the Catawba County’s Register of Deeds Office. She began working for the office in 1944 when she was 18 years old, after having spent two years in Washington, D.C., typing letters of commendation for Marine Corps recipients during World War II, and she was twice the recipient of the Long Leaf Pine.
One of her supervisors said, “she has always displayed the utmost love and energy for her job … Lucille goes above and beyond the call of duty and is always eager to help anyone.” Her dedication through the years has been an inspiration to her peers and an example of excellence to all who know her.
I want to say thank you to Ms. Pitts for her service to her community and our state. You will be missed.
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Governor Perdue launched the JobsNOW Portal today. The website is a resource for job seekers, those exploring new career options, and entrepreneurs looking to start, grow or relocate a business in North Carolina. JobsNOW is also on Facebook. I encourage you to sign up as a Fan to get updates on job-related news in North Carolina, as well as the same resources available on the JobsNOW Portal.
And if you haven't already, join Gov. Perdue's Facebook Page as well. Get news, pictures, video and join in the discussion.
It’s hurricane season and 2009 marks the 10th anniversary of Hurricane Floyd. Twelve southeastern states, including North Carolina, lead the country in the most weather-related disasters.
From native-born residents to newcomers, everyone should be aware that hurricane season runs from June 1 to Nov. 30, and they need to prepare. Every part of the state is vulnerable to a tropical storm or a hurricane’s destructive effects including high winds, tornadoes, flooding and, at the coast storm surges and in the mountains landslides.
Those who have a healthy respect for hurricanes know how important it is to have a go-kit. Fill a waterproof container with essential supplies such as flashlight, radio, batteries, water, snacks, toiletries, a change of clothes, photo ID and copies of your insurance papers. With this kit, you will be ready to evacuate quickly if the authorities ask you to do so.
Know your evacuation routes and locate your local emergency shelters before the storm hits. Be sure your car has enough gas to get you to a shelter. If you come across a flooded roadway or bridge, remember: Turn Around, Don't Drown. Just a few inches of water can float a car.
There is not enough time to think of everything you need to do when a hurricane gets close, so taking the necessary steps now will help you prepare your family, your home and your property. Check out www.readync.org and see information on hurricanes and preparedness. This will help you get your emergency plan in place.
It has finally hit a warm streak in North Carolina. With warm weather and afternoon showers come pests like mosquitoes and ticks. For many, the pesky bugs are just a nuisance. However, they really are much more. They actually carry diseases that can cause sickness, paralysis and even death.
North Carolina has led the nation in cases of Rocky Mountain Spotted fever – a disease transmitted to people by ticks. Mosquitoes can transmit diseases like La Crosse virus, Eastern equine encephalitis and West Nile virus.
This is the time to take action to prevent mosquitoes and ticks from breeding in your backyards. Simple measures like keeping grass short, removing any containers that hold water which can serve as mosquito breeding grounds and removing plants that attract wild animals like deer and rodents, which carry ticks.
It is also important to protect yourself and your family when you're outside enjoying North Carolina’s warm weather. Insect repellant is useful, particularly against mosquitoes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend several repellents against mosquitoes – DEET, picaridin and oil of lemon eucalyptus. Repellents containing permethrin provide excellent protection against ticks but may only be used on clothing. Consumers should look for products that contain the CDC-recommended ingredients, and should read and follow all label instructions.
Exposure to both mosquitoes and ticks can be limited by wearing long-sleeved shirts, long pants and socks. People should also check themselves and their families for ticks when they are in tick-prone areas.
For additional information on mosquitoes and ticks, visit the following Web sites: www.deh.enr.state.nc.us/phpm, www.epi.state.nc.us/epi/arbovirus and www.epi.state.nc.us/epi/tick.
There’s nothing better than combining exercise and raising awareness, and that’s what a group of us did Friday morning through downtown Raleigh.
I rode with N.C. Department of Transportation Deputy Secretary for Internal and External Affairs Ted Vaden and many others in the city of Raleigh’s Bicycle Safety Awareness Group Bicycle Ride. The event was part of Bike to Work Week, and it allowed us to share the busy Raleigh streets and show that bikes and vehicles can co-exist.
The route took us from Bicentennial Mall at the Museum of Natural History toward the Old Capitol Building, down Edenton, Salisbury, Fayetteville, Hargett, West and Jones streets, then back to the mall. Riders came in all shapes and sizes and the bikes varied from racing to recreational.
The ride itself took about 45 minutes and the group got separated at times. But people like NCDOT Wellness Coordinator Bob Nelson kept a close eye on us and made sure the ride went safely.
Events like this were scheduled across North Carolina to recognize Bike to Work Week, which raises awareness of alternative ways to get to work and promotes bicycle safety. Bicycling is not only fun, it’s also great for your health and the environment.
More and more people are using bicycling as a form of transportation. Motorists must remember that bicycles are considered a vehicle and have the same rights and responsibilities.
We encourage everyone to grab a bike and take advantage of the many greenways, trails and bicycling routes throughout the state. Be sure to wear your helmet and share the road.
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It’s time for the nice, relaxing summer swim season. As you gear up to dive in, I want to remind you about key steps you can take to prevent water illnesses as part of national Recreational Water Illness Prevention Week.
Being aware of recreational water illnesses and practicing healthy swimming behaviors will go a long way in stopping the transmission of these illnesses. Infectious germs on and in swimmers’ bodies can end up in recreational waters, which can make other people sick.
To avoid water-borne illnesses in both pools and natural waters in coastal and inland areas, follow these simple tips. Do not swim or allow children to swim if you or they have diarrhea. Avoid swallowing pool water or getting pool water in your mouth. Shower before swimming. Wash your hands after using the toilet or changing diapers. Place tight-fitting swim diapers on children. Check diapers before entering the water. Take children on bathroom breaks. Change children’s diapers often and in a bathroom, not at the poolside.
For more information about Recreational Water Illness Prevention Week and healthy swimming, visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Web site at: www.cdc.gov/healthyswimming. For North Carolina specific information, visit www.deh.enr.state.nc.us/ehs/pti_healthyswimming.htm, or contact the N.C. Division of Environmental Health at (919) 733-2884.
Yesterday morning I extended a North Carolina welcome to 1500 researchers attending the National Genealogical Society conference in Raleigh. One of the most used parts of the State Library is our Genealogy Collection in the Government and Heritage Library. The family histories, published abstracts, periodicals, county histories, and reference materials that are found in the Collection are a connection to the past that helps inform the future for families in North Carolina and beyond. The North Carolina State Archives is one of the largest and busiest state archives in the country. On average, about 9, 000 patrons visit in a year. Researchers request over 20,000 boxes of original documents and use around 30,000 reels of microfilm. Our staff answers over 6,000 phone calls each year. The Archives maintains custody of over 100 million original documents, over 500,000 reels of microfilm and over 1,000,000 photographic negatives.
North Carolinians love history, and the Department of Cultural Resources is hard at work to preserve, protect and promote North Carolina’s story. In fact, we made history of our own as the first cabinet level state agency in the nation for arts, history, and culture. Our combination of archives, historic preservation, museums, and historic sites makes us the largest public history program in the nation.
Cultural Resources serves more than 19 million people annually through three major areas: The Arts, Archives and History, and The State Library of North Carolina.
If you have not yet taken a trip to the Genealogy Collection or the State Archives, located at 109 East Jones Street in downtown Raleigh, I would like to invite you to do so. It is open Tuesday-Friday 8:00-5:30 and on Saturday from 9:00-5:00, closed 12:00-1:00. Helpful staff members stand ready to assist you.
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