Pittsboro, NC – On December 8, 2022, the Duke Energy Foundation presented Chatham Emergency Management with a $25,000 Emergency Preparedness & Storm Resiliency Grant for the purchase of a Utility Terrain Vehicle (UTV).
UTVs are designed to carry multiple responders and equipment and may be used to transport patients. The Chatham County UTV will be used to support emergency responses and pre-planned events including moving supplies, equipment, responders, and patients.
“We are grateful for this generous donation from the Duke Energy Foundation,” said Steve Newton, Chatham County Emergency Management Director. “As a suburban-rural county with miles of trails and creeks, recreation areas and lakes, and a growing population enjoying the outdoors, we are faced with incidents that occur in areas inaccessible to a full-size vehicle. The UTV will be a great asset to bolster our response efforts.”
Duke Energy supports North Carolina communities with more than $750,000 in grants to support emergency preparedness. Funding will support 24 nonprofits and government agencies from across the state and will help pay for training, life-saving equipment, and essential tools to aid in disaster planning and recovery operations. Duke Energy supports these communities and their ability to help residents prepare for and recover from severe weather events.
“Emergency preparedness and storm recovery begin at the local level in the communities we serve,” said Indira Everett, Duke Energy’s Director- East Region. “Households and businesses in Chatham County have endured significant and costly storms in recent years. These grants will help our communities and residents by giving our first responders the tools, training, and equipment they need to tackle any pending storms.”
The UTV is expected to be delivered in the next several months. More information about Chatham County Emergency Management can be found here.