EVOLVE Business and Professional Magazine November 2017 | Page 21

needs of individual residents, but the group sees service to the facilities and providing emergency power and computers for
business community as an important part of its mission as well. processing spontaneous volunteers from the local area, as well
“Businesses don’t operate without their employees. We help get as those from other counties and states. COAD does not deploy
employees back on their feet so that businesses can reopen,” says volunteers directly to work sites, but they are instrumental in the
Frank Bruno, Co-Founder and President of COAD. coordination of volunteer resources.
To that end,
This means COAD is able to address the needs of individuals
COAD works year and small businesses. For example, COAD can assist with
round, preparing cleanup efforts. Whether it’s the distribution of blue tarps to
residents to take cover damaged structures, enlisting volunteers to assist with
care of themselves “muck-out” work in homes and businesses or the deployment of
during the first three “chainsaw teams” to cut fallen trees and remove debris, COAD
to seven days after is a useful resource for connecting businesses and individuals in
a disaster hits. This need with volunteer agencies on hand to help.
is the period when Long term recovery, beginning six months after the disaster
emergency services for anyone still in need, is headed up by one of COAD’s members
are under enormous who is the director of Volusia Interfaiths/Agencies Networking
strain and may in Disaster. Working with donated supplies and contributions,
not be able to help this group helps to restore damaged homes where the owners
everyone at once. have no other resources available to them.
They offer several
programs including, Map Your Neighborhood, which trains
COAD is a non-profit organization, led by a Steering
Committee comprised of representatives from American Red
neighborhood representatives on
Cross, Florida Department of Health,
how to organize support groups to Volusia County Emergency
prepare their own families and assist Management Services, Volusia
neighbors in distress, and provide County Human Services, United
training for volunteers to become Way, CareerSource Flagler Volusia,
Community Emergency Response Amateur Radio Emergency Services,
Teams (CERTs). several faith-based organizations,
COAD also works with the
small businesses owners and other
County’s Emergency Management
dedicated individuals.
Department to present an
“The idea is to have everyone
annual Disaster Expo, featuring
representatives from various
agencies such as fire, police,
sheriff, EVAC, Red Cross, Health
working together to help each other,“
ERAU DART & United Methodist (DeLand)
repairing a roof
Department, etc., to answer
questions and distribute literature.
During disasters, COAD assigns two of its members to
the County’s Emergency Operation Center to serve as the
says Frank Bruno.
COAD is a 501(c)(3) organization
and uses tax-deductible donations
for all of its work. There are no paid
employees; all work is done by volunteers. For more information,
please visit www.volusiacoad.org or call 386-872-3705
or 386-561-9767.
lead agency for Emergency Support Function 15, in charge of
volunteers and donations. This gives COAD timely information
about where volunteers and resources are needed and who is best
able to meet the need.
Immediately following a disaster, COAD focuses on
opening one or more Volunteer Reception Centers. The Mormon
Church is their primary partner in this endeavor, opening its
Deanie Lowe has spent twenty-six years in public office,
including 10 on the Ormond Beach Planning Board, 4 on
the Volusia County Council (Council Chair in 1992) and 12
years as Volusia County Supervisor of Elections. Numerous
local, state and national awards for volunteer work, the
most recent of which was the Volunteer Florida Champion
of Service Award 2017.
NOVEMBER 2017 | 21 |