Big Bear City, CA, August 19, 2013 — The Big Bear Valley Community Organizations Active in Disaster (COAD) will have a community meeting from 6:30 to 7:30 tonight at the United Methodist Church, located at 1001 Holden Avenue (North Shore & Holden) in Big Bear City.
The guest speaker will be Robin Bishop, Section Chief for U.S. Department of Health and Human Services & Assistant Secretary of Preparedness and Response. She’ll share her experiences working the wild fires in Riverside and in Yarnell, AZ and how the public needs to be prepared for any type of disaster.
The purpose of the COAD is to advocate for and promote a coordinated valley-wide disaster preparedness planning initiative that aims to integrate, businesses, local service organizations, nonprofits, as well as faith based organizations to improve community readiness in preparation of a major disaster event. It takes the entire community to step up and register as a volunteer organization and individual volunteers to make this a successful community Recovery Program.
COAD has eight components: Volunteer Management; Information and Referral; Clothing & Food Coordination; Emotional and Spiritual; Donated Goods Management; Mass Feeding and Sheltering; Animal Care & Sheltering and Communications. Each component is supported by a local organization and a Chair.
When disaster happens in the Big Bear Valley, an Emergency Volunteer Center will be established where volunteers and organizations can report; organizations/agencies who need volunteers can go to request volunteers and displaced residents/visitors can go to get help and referrals.
To request a COAD presentation to your group, please contact Yomar Cleary at (909) 214-6990. If you want a Volunteer form or Organization form, send your request to bbvcoad@gmail.com.
