About RV COAD

Structure

General membership is comprised of local and state government entities, faith based and non governmental organizations (NGOs)/nonprofits, community organizations, and entities wishing to provide resources or services in response to a disaster.

Member Organization – nonprofits, faith-based organizations, volunteer groups, businesses, other groups, associations, and non-governmental entities providing continuing funding. Member Organizations attend COAD meetings, fill positions on the Steering Committee and COAD Working Groups. In RVCOAD decision making, Member Organizations have one vote each.
Partner Member – government entities and departments, tribes, counties, cities and other political subdivisions. Partner Organizations attend meetings and have a voice, but do not vote.
Resource Member – businesses, organizations, nonprofits and individuals having resources or services that may be available in an emergency. Resource Providers may attend meetings and have a voice, but do not vote.
Individual Member – residents of RV COAD counties and cities who are not members of an organization eligible for membership. Have specific skills and experience that can enhance the effectiveness of RVCOAD in areas such as administration, operations, planning, etc. Individual members are nominated by at least one RVCOAD member. They attend regular meetings and are eligible to fill positions as Steering Committee Officers and as chairs or members of workgroups and sub-groups and have one vote.

The RV COAD recognizes and supports the right of each member organization and affiliate committee or group to make autonomous decisions affecting their organization with due consideration of roles, responsibilities and expectations worked out through RVCOAD participation.

The RV COAD provides a forum to address community readiness, training and exercise to better and more effectively respond and recover from emergencies.

Governance

RVCOAD is governed by a Steering Committee with Chair, Vice Chair and Secretary elected by the membership within the voting structure and interim committee members and officers are elected by the committee between elections.

Workgroups

Work is carried out by workgroups: Communications Infrastructure, Membership, Marketing and Operations. Each is led by a Chair appointed by the Steering Committee.

Meetings

Quarterly General Meetings are hybrid – both in-person and virtual.

The Steering Committee meets monthly.

Contact RVCOAD by email at RVCOAD@gmail.com.

History

RVCOAD was founded in 2006 by Paul Robinson during the tenure of Jackson County Emergency Manager, Mike Curry. Paul brought with him experience in RiverNet, a group brought together after the Ashland flood of 1997. After the disastrous floodwaters receded, this group rose to meet the need for a coordinated effort to distribute funds that charitable groups, mostly faith based, had made available to help survivors who had suffered property loss or damage. People’s requests were brought before this Unmet Needs Committee, considered, and one or more of those at the table would opt to put their funds toward that cause.

As RVCOAD continued to work with Mike Curry, it was recognized that our community could benefit by strengthening and drawing community organizations together and coordinating resources toward a more efficient response to a local disaster.

In 2017 a major push was undertaken to strengthen the RVCOAD, which enabled a coordinated immediate response to the Labor Day fires in 2020. There is plenty of work ahead – we hope you’ll join us!