{"id":19415,"date":"2023-08-08T14:36:48","date_gmt":"2023-08-08T18:36:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\/news\/?p=15238"},"modified":"2023-08-08T14:36:48","modified_gmt":"2023-08-08T18:36:48","slug":"nc-sea-grant-to-receive-federal-disaster-preparedness-programs-funding","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\/nc-sea-grant-to-receive-federal-disaster-preparedness-programs-funding\/","title":{"rendered":"NC Sea Grant to Receive Federal Disaster Preparedness Programs Funding"},"content":{"rendered":"

For Immediate Release<\/em><\/p>\n

Contact: Frank L\u00f3pez, fmlopez@ncsu.edu<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

North Carolina Sea Grant is among four recipients of funding from a partnership of <\/span>NOAA\u2019s National Sea Grant College Program<\/a> and Office of Response and Restoration (OR&R) Disaster Preparedness Program (DPP)<\/a>\u00a0<\/span>to support innovative all-hazard preparedness, response, and recovery initiatives for coastal communities.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe partnership initiative brings together the goals and expertise of NOAA\u2019s Disaster Preparedness Program together with Sea Grant\u2019s on the ground, innovative approaches to community support. The local knowledge and relationships of each selected Sea Grant program is a vital part of successful planning and collaboration to prepare for and respond to disasters,\u201d commented Jonathan Pennock, Director of the National Sea Grant College Program. Read the news release here.<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

The new NC Sea Grant project, along with those in New Jersey, Oregon, and South Carolina, will take approaches tailored to local needs regarding disaster preparation. Each team will work with NOAA, partners, and coastal communities.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe Office of Response and Restoration Disaster Preparedness Program is pleased to support the implementation of four new projects in vulnerable coastal communities. We believe that they will directly benefit the public by providing them with additional resources to help mitigate the impacts of coastal disasters\u201d, said Kate Wheelock, Director of the Disaster Preparedness Program.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

North Carolina Sea Grant will be leading capacity building workshops, community events, and linking low-English proficiency audiences to health services in the coastal region post-disaster, as well as building capacity in health departments and disaster organizations. The goal is to build stronger connections between these communities and their respective health departments to improve communications and understanding of the needs of this vulnerable population.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe are pleased to build upon previously funded research and outreach to focus on public health, with a focus on needs of these particularly vulnerable communities before, during, and after disaster events, as well as smaller scale but significant events,\u201d notes Susan White, NC Sea Grant executive director.<\/span><\/p>\n

To support the project, NC Sea Grant is currently seeking a public health specialist to join its nationally recognized extension team. \u201cThis is a natural area of growth for our program, for the new position to consider environmental and resilience topics through a health lens,\u201d notes Frank L\u00f3pez, NC Sea Grant extension director.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The other new projects will include:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n