Community Organizations Active in Disaster

No two disasters are alike. The impact on each individual is different. The needs of each are unique and often unmet. However, a community and its citizens are unquestionably better served if a Community Organization Active in Disaster (COAD) is in place for planning and education long before a disaster strikes. Communities that bring resources together in a COAD can increase the effectiveness of their response to the needs of disaster survivors in a timely way, thereby reducing the social and economic impact of the disaster. Here are basic steps you need to follow for facilitating your local COAD or Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD) through Extension. Where applicable, the PDF links after each step are either examples or resources for the step. Questions or comments can be directed to the material developers, Carrie McKillip, Mike Gaffney, or to the EDEN Project Coordinator, Abby Hostetler. Review your capacity. As Extension Professionals, there are many projects to undertake, and an office can quickly get overwhelmed. If the local office has the capacity to lead the development of the COAD, it must be included as part of the overall plan of work. The pilot project through the Extension Disaster Education Network (EDEN) focused on rural counties in several states. Many of the resources this document links to are from the pilot experiences. EDEN COAD Development Project Summary An example from the Northwest Missouri COAD Get the support of your local Emergency Management Director (EMD) and your state voluntary agency liaison (VAL). This is critical!! You can’t move forward without support from your EMD. If you don’t know this person, make an appointment to meet and get to know each other. Missouri COAD Manual Indiana COAD Manual Identify other agencies and organizations that need to be part of the COAD. Make a list of agencies and organizations in your community, as well as those serving your community that may be headquartered in another…