The Role of the Community Here are some actions that everyday Ashland residents and organizations can take to make a difference in addressing climate change. Assemble an emergency kit . Jackson County offers tips and checklists to help residents create emergency kits for their homes and cars. Visit the Jackson County Emergency Management website or contact Jackson County for more information. Stay informed . Sign up for Citizen Alert!, a free program from Jackson County that sends community alerts to your phone and email when you register online. Prepare your home for the extremes. Understand the risk of flooding or wildfire to your home, and take action to safeguard your home. Ashland provides free Firewise assessments for properties at potential risk of wildfire. Find more information at the City’s Ready, Set, Go! evacuation website. Understand the risks and how to mitigate them. Injuries from heat exhaustion and wildfire smoke can be exacerbated by conditions such as dehydration, diabetes, heart conditions, and obesity. Staying healthy, avoiding harmful activities, and taking proper precaution can make sure you and your family are safe from deadly heat- and smoke-related illnesses. Firewise Ashland Ashland is part of Firewise Communities/USA, a national program that empowers neighbors to work together to reduce the wildfire risk around homes. The City received its first Firewise Communities/ USA recognition award in 2011, and now the program recognizes twenty-five different Ashland neighborhoods with 4 in the process. The program provides a framework for residents living within the wildland/ urban interface (WUI) for proactive mitigation efforts like addressing home construction and fire-resistant landscaping. These actions are designed to help houses withstand wildland fire without intervention like fire-fighting services. For more information or to become a Firewise neighborhood, visit ashlandfirewise.org or call Ashland Fire and Rescue. 97ASHLAND CLIMATE & ENERGY ACTION PLANPUBLIC HEAL TH, SAFETY & WELL-BEING 97

Climate and Energy Action Plan (CEAP)