VOAD Forms to Support Community During Times of Disaster

Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters aims for cooperation and coordination to minimize duplication of services

By Marjorie Wass | Published on 06.22.2009

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Tthe Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters held a news conference June 16 at the American Red Cross, Santa Barbara County Chapter headquarters in Santa Barbara to introduce the organization to the Santa Barbara community and to showcase the work it did during both the Tea Fire and Jesusita Fire.

VOAD is a team of local organizations committed to encouraging cooperation and coordination in planning for and responding to disasters. It aims to minimize duplication of services during a disaster and provide more efficient services to those affected.

There are seven VOAD subcommittees devoted to each specific area of service during disasters: animal services, communications, food distribution/preparation, in-kind donations, transportation, long-term recovery and volunteerism. The leaders of each subcommittee spoke about their committee’s participation in VOAD and their function before, during and after a disaster.

The subcommittee heads are:

» Stacy Silva, community outreach coordinator, Santa Barbara County Animal Services/SBCARES (Animal Services Committee)

» William Batty, executive director, 211 (Communications Committee)

» David Ross, VOAD coordinator, American Red Cross/VOAD (Food Distribution/Preparation Committee)

» Tom Reed, executive director, Unity Shoppe, and VOAD co-chair (In-Kind Donations Committee)

» Louise Kolbert, interim CEO and director of emergency services, American Red Cross, and VOAD treasurer (Long-Term Recovery Committee)

» Ernesto Paredes, executive director, Easy Lift (Transportation Committee)

» Joel Goforth, community impact manager, United Way of Santa Barbara County (Volunteerism Committee)

Kathy Hayes, Foodbank of Santa Barbara County director of operations and VOAD chairperson, gave an overview of VOAD and its history in Santa Barbara, and introducing the subcommittee leads and guest speakers. Ed Lamb, Gold Coast disaster relief coordinator for the California Southern Baptist Convention and member of the Long-Term Recovery Committee, spoke about his organization’s role in clearing the foundations of underinsured homes that were destroyed by the Jesusita Fire.

Jay McCamis, emergency manager for the Santa Barbara County Office of Emergency Services, spoke about VOAD’s role in the disaster response community.

“VOAD was very active during and after both the Tea Fire and the Jesusita Fire, and we want the Santa Barbara community to know that we are committed to serving everyone affected by disasters in the best, most efficient way possible,” Kolbert said. “We are excited to let the community know that the groups that comprise VOAD have already been working so effectively together to help respond to the safety and recovery needs of the communities in Santa Barbara County.”

VOAD member organizations include the Red Cross, the Assistance League Santa Barbara, California Southern Baptist Convention-Disaster Relief; Catholic Charities-Santa Barbara Region, the Community Action Commission, Community Partners in Caring, Direct Relief International, EasyLift, Family Service Agency/211 Santa Barbara County, Food from the Heart, the Foodbank of Santa Barbara County, Habitat for Humanity of Northern Santa Barbara County, Habitat for Humanity of Southern Santa Barbara County, the Independent Living Resource Center, Jewish Family Service, the Montecito Emergency Response & Recovery Action Group (MERRAG), the Painted Cave Volunteer Fire Department, the Salvation Army of Santa Barbara, the Santa Barbara County 4-H Clubs Council, the Santa Barbara County Office of Emergency Services, the Santa Barbara Humane Society, SBCARES, ServiceMaster Anytime, SMOOTH, The Lions Club-District 4-A3, the Transition House, the United Way of Northern Santa Barbara County, the United Way of Santa Barbara County, the Unity Shoppe, Urban Search & Rescue, the Westmont Situation Readiness and Response Team, the Wildland Residents Association.

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— Marjorie Wass is a publicist.

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