Our group, South King County Organizations Active in Disasters (SKCOAD), itself is not a Community Organization Active in Disaster (COAD)! Instead SKCOAD is a coalition of COADs focused on the southern King County region, between Seattle and Tacoma, in northwestern Washington state.

We serve the approximately 20 communities in King County Regional Emergency Coordination Zone 3. We are not active at the community level ourserves - that is our members' role.

We do not have a formal organization, staff, a budget, or responsibility during a disaster. Instead we simply strive to foster better communications and coordinate some common tasks faced by our participating organizations. Organized informally, we have no dues or fees.

Organizations and agencies may form a COAD (Community Organizations Active in Disasters) to serve their own community in a disaster. It is not SKCOAD's intention to duplicate what COADs do.  Instead, SKCOAD serves across jurisdictions and cities with organizations that serve all of South King County, an area far larger than one community.  For that reason, SKCOAD does not include neighborhood groups that would typically belong to COADs.  A key purpose for SKCOAD is to develop a database of the organizations and agencies willing to serve the whole South King County area, to include in the database the services each organization or agency plans to provide in a disaster, and to share the database with all South King County emergency managers and organizations involved with SKCOAD.

SKCOAD is Not a COAD!

Organizations and agencies may form a COAD (Community Organizations Active in Disasters) to serve their own community in a disaster.  It is not SKCOAD's intention to duplicate what COADs do.  Instead, SKCOAD serves across jurisdictions and cities with organizations that serve all of South King County, an area far larger than one community.  For that reason, SKCOAD does not include neighborhood groups that would typically belong to COADs.  SKCOAD's primary purpose is to develop a database of the organizations and agencies willing to serve the whole South King County area, to include in the database the services each organization or agency plans to provide in a disaster, and to share the database with all South King County emergency managers and organizations involved with SKCOAD.  

The image to the left shows what happens during a situation. During mitigation - before a disaster, SKCOAD operates at the same level (and in concert with) the purple blob labelled Zone 3 Disipline Reps.

The image to the left shows a host of cities. Practically, areas of unincorporated King County, such as all of Vashon-Maury Islands or much of the eastern portion of the zone may not have a formal political structure, but may still have an active COAD representing their community.

What is COAD?

COAD includes various community organizations that provide human service needs to the south King County community. These include non-profit, governmental, volunteer, faith-based, public service organizations and businesses. COAD functions within the King County Comprehensive Emergency Plan with the following functions: Mass care/shelter operations, emergent volunteer management, donation management, unmet community needs and coordinating this support to other communities outside the south King County area.

How You Can Be Involved?

When disaster strikes a community, many people feel the need to reach out to those affected. COAD's mission is to bring together human services organizations in a coordinated response to disaster-caused needs. Through collaboration, COAD seeks to meet unmet needs and minimize duplication of services.

To discuss joining COAD, contact the current COAD chair:

Susan Strong, COAD Chairperson, handles risk management issues for the YMCA of Greater Seattle. She may be reached at (206) 382-5085 or .

Community Organizations Active in Disaster
...matching unmet human needs with community resources

Unmet Needs
During a disaster, because professional emergency responders are inundated by calls for service, help cannot always get to those who need it quickly enough. Additionally, many community resources remain untapped, or duplication of effort occurs. The result is delayed services to people at a time when they are desperately needed.

• Neighborhoods
• Schools
• Businesses
• Government
• Faith Community
• Non-profits