Tri-County COAD - Community Organizations Active in Disaster

The Tri-County COAD is an association of human services and faith-based organizations, government agencies, businesses, and individuals whose purpose is to advocate for and promote a coordinated, county wide disaster preparedness planning initiative that aims to integrate its members into the county comprehensive emergency system. The Tri-County COAD serves Lewis & Clark, Jefferson and Broadwater Counties.

The mission of the Tri-County Community Organizations Active in Disaster is to coordinate effective, efficient, and streamlined service delivery to people affected by disaster, while eliminating unnecessary duplication of effort, through the four phases of disaster: preparation, response, recovery and mitigation.

The Tri-County COAD is not a competing or exclusionary organization. The Tri-County COAD is intended to be a network for organizations and individuals active in disaster. Each Tri-County COAD member organization will maintain its own identity and independence while closely collaborating with other Tri-County COAD member organizations.

Tri-County COAD accomplishes its mission by adhering to the following principles:

• Cooperation: Foster cooperation among Tri-County COAD member organizations and individuals at all levels and phases of disaster.
• Coordination: Coordinate the development of Tri-County COAD policies and procedures, and the implementation of services among Tri-County COAD members. Tri-County COAD may also provide links to national and international disaster relief organizations. Tri-County COAD serves as advocate and liaison between member organizations and the Montana Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD).
• Communication: Exchange and disseminate information among Tri-County COAD members and the public, as well as local, state and federal agencies.
• Collaboration: Work together to achieve specific goals and to undertake specific projects at disaster sites and form partnerships during the disaster response.

The Tri-County COAD is activated by the Disaster and Emergency Services Directors in Lewis & Clark, Jefferson and Broadwater Counties, and can also self-activate for smaller scale emergencies.

Categories of Membership: disaster services agencies; emergency management agencies; public, private, not-for-profit, or faith-based organizations, community-based organizations; disability organizations; and organizations with an interest in addressing a community’s emergency needs.

The member groups of the Tri-County COAD include: Salvation Army Helena Corps, American Red Cross Montana Region, Helena Area Boy Scouts of America, Lewis and Clark County Public Health, United Way of the Lewis and Clark Area, St. Peter’s Health, Child Care Connections, Good Samaritan Ministries, Many Rivers Whole Health, Rocky Mountain Development Council, Helena Ministerial Association, LDS Charities, Helena Food Share, Capital City Amateur Radio Club, Helena Area Civil Air Patrol, Safeway, Team Rubicon, Tri-County Fire Safe Working Group, United Methodist Committee on Relief, YWCA.

The Tri-County COAD generally meets on the 4th Tuesday of every month, from 11:00am-12:00pm. There is also a Teams virtual option. Please contact us for details.

Interested in becoming a member of Tri-County COAD, email us.