A Community Prepared, Together.
Humboldt Community Organizations Active in Disaster (COAD, a 501c3 nonprofit) develops and enhances partnerships for communication, coordination and collaboration within our whole community, including businesses, tribes, non-profit and faith-based organizations, and government agencies, before and throughout a disaster, including prevention, mitigation, protection, preparedness, response & recovery.
When disaster strikes, the organizations that serve Humboldt County shouldn’t be meeting each other for the first time. COAD builds those relationships year-round so that when a storm, fire, or earthquake hits, help is coordinated, not duplicated, and no community is left out. More than 100 member organizations across eight sectors make up this network, and there is room for more.
OUR Mission
El Niño WINTER RESOURCES
This Winter Is Different. Let’s Get Ready Together.
Forecasters expect a strong El Niño this winter, and for Humboldt County that has historically meant wetter, more intense storms. No one can say exactly what the season will bring, but we know the hazards El Niño tends to bring with it: flooding, landslides, downed trees and power lines, and roads that close when we need them most. We also know how to prepare. Make a household plan, stock supplies for several days, sign up for Humboldt Alert, and know where to get sandbags before the water rises. Our new Storm Supply Map shows free sandbag sites and storm supplies near you, updated as partners add locations.
PART OF SOMETHING BIGGER
Humboldt COAD doesn't work alone. We are the local expression of a nationwide movement called VOAD: Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster. Regionally, we are made up of 100+ network members and partners.
National VOAD was founded in 1970 after Hurricane Camille, when relief organizations realized they were duplicating some efforts and missing others entirely because no one was talking to each other. The solution wasn't a new relief agency. It was a table: a standing forum where organizations that serve disaster survivors could plan, train, and coordinate together before disaster strikes.
Today, National VOAD is a coalition of more than 70 national organizations (faith-based, community-based, and other nonprofits) along with 56 state and territory VOADs. You'd recognize many of the members: the American Red Cross, The Salvation Army, Team Rubicon, and dozens of faith-based disaster relief programs that quietly rebuild homes across the country every year.
The 4 Cs
The entire network runs on four shared principles, known as the 4 Cs: Cooperation, Communication, Coordination, and Collaboration. The idea is simple. No single organization has all the answers in a disaster, so members commit to working together in a non-competitive way, sharing information openly, and pointing their resources at the same goals.
Visit the COAD Resource Hub for preparedness resources, guides and tools to strengthen resiliency in both homes and businesses on the Redwood Coast
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BECOME A COAD NETWORK MEMBER
The Humboldt COAD is largely driven by the participation of its Member and Partner Organizations. By harnessing the collective impact of our region’s non-governmental resources in partnership with local agencies, we focus on projects to enhance resiliency and preparedness in our communities. Learn more about how your organization can be of service to the community by joining our collaborative network - lets build a better future, together.
Join a Working Group
Collaborate on Targeted Action and projects By getting involved in one of the many COAD Working Groups, your organization can engage in this important networking opportunity. Please contact us if you have a particular Working Group you and your organization would like to be a part of, and we are happy to help you learn more about it.
General: info@humboldtcoad.org | Director: nick@humboldtcoad.org
Mailing Address: PO BOX 1041, Blue Lake, CA 95525