With each passing year, North Carolina residents face higher heat index values, more warm nights and more heat waves. These warmer days and nights, coupled with increased humidity, pose risks to public health and daily life. Prolonged exposure to extreme heat can lead to heat-related illnesses, such as heat exhaustion and heat stroke. As high heat days become more common, North Carolinians are using more energy to cool their homes and buildings, with many households unprepared for increasing energy costs.
Local leaders can play a key role in helping residents stay safe in high temperatures. Supporting communities starts with monitoring local conditions, identifying those most at risk, and understanding how to reduce heat-related risks to public health and household budgets. To help local leaders protect health and safety, the NC Office of Recovery and Resiliency (NCORR) and the State Climate Office of North Carolina have launched the NC Planning for Extreme Heat Cohort.
Applications for the 2025 NC Planning for Extreme Heat Cohort will be open from Nov. 4, 2024 through Dec. 4, 2024.
Cohort Participation
The NC Planning for Extreme Heat Cohort is a virtual learning community that will guide participants through the application of NCORR’s Heat Action Plan Toolkit. Through the program, participants will learn about:
- How heat impacts residents and community resources,
- Relevant federal and state policy frameworks,
- How to access and understand local data related to extreme heat,
- Potential funding opportunities for project implementation and more.
Using the template plan in the toolkit, participants will build a draft heat action plan for their community.
The NC Planning for Extreme Heat Cohort is a five-month program. During this time, NCORR and the State Climate Office will lead virtual learning sessions with heat planning and policy experts, health professionals, climate scientists and one another. The program will help participants build a network to support heat action plan development and implementation. Participants will dedicate an average of seven hours each week to program activities, including updating the template plan for their communities. Cohort members will have access to one-on-one advice and learning from NCORR, the State Climate Office and other partners. Participation in this program is free.
The NC Planning for Extreme Heat Cohort is available to staff and elected officials from North Carolina city, town and county governments. Community organizations may also participate in partnership with a participating local government.
- Access to trusted subject matter experts
- Professional skill building for local government staff
- Engage with North Carolina peers who are working on the same project at the same time
- Work through the heat action plan drafting process
- Build local partners for heat action plan implementation
NCORR and the State Climate Office appreciate the support and collaboration of the following partner agencies:
NCORR and the State Climate Office will host a webinar on Monday, Nov. 18 at noon, for interested applicants to learn more about the program. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions and hear from program partners. Register for the webinar.
If you are unable to attend, please direct questions to NCORR Resilience Policy Advisor Andrea Webster at andrea.webster@ncdps.gov or 919-576-6450.