Elkhorn COAD partners with LC County to help communities

The Elkhorn COAD (Community Organizations Active in Disasters) recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Lewis & Clark County to define the working relationship of the two organizations.

The Elkhorn COAD helps coordinate the local support and disaster relief efforts for disasters in Lewis and Clark, Jefferson, and Broadwater Counties through partner organizations including the Red Cross, the Civil Air Patrol, Montana Department of Health and Human Services, the Helena YMCA, Lewis and Clark Public Health, the Boy Scouts, Helena Food Share, St. Peter's Health, HOPE Dogs, the Rocky Mountain Development Council, the Helena Ministerial Association and many others.

The Elkhorn COAD itself isn't funded. Instead, they have two assigned fiduciaries to handle funds. The Salvation Army handles disaster-specific money and donations to the COAD and has in the past been able to seek matching funding for some disasters through their division headquarters in Seattle. Any monies that COAD receives that are not disaster-related are handled by the United Way, and these funds often go to community education efforts.

Until recently, the Elkhorn COAD hadn't needed a financial relationship with the County. However, as COVID-19 continued to strain resources and processes, the COAD and the County encountered new situations that required new means of operating.

"There was a lot of expectation that Lewis & Clark County would be the provider for all of this. We can't be the provider for all of this. We can provide money, we can provide resources, but we don't have the capacity to be the provider. That's what the COAD is all about," Commissioner Jim McCormick said at the July Upper Blackfoot Valley Community Council meeting.

"As we're finding out with COVID, there's a lot of situations arising that we never, ever thought of. This [MOU] gives us a lot more framework," said Elkhorn COAD Chairperson Joe Wojton. "No one has budgets to pay for this stuff. In a typical disaster, we're not asking for money from the County."

Wojton said the COAD "gives Reese [Martin] a one-stop shop" to call during disasters. Reese Martin is the Coordinator for Lewis and Clark County Disaster and Emergency Services. When necessary, Martin reaches out to Wojton.

"Based on needs, I'll start activating different parts of the COAD," said Wojton.

During the North Hills fire, when bottled water was needed for first responders, Wojton reached out to the Boy Scouts, who mobilized to get water and Gatorade donated.

"Certain agencies kinda have predetermined roles," said Wojton. For example, the Red Cross often coordinates to provide shelters while the Salvation Army assists with feeding and disaster case management. "We mirror what they do at the national level because if the disaster is large enough, they may call in teams from other states and counties."

Outside of that, Wojton says it depends on the type of disaster and what is needed. Wojton said the Civil Air Patrol showed up for 15 straight weeks to help load food to be sent home to families while schools were closed due to COVID.

The COAD is also available to provide assistance in communities like Lincoln and Augusta.

"The COAD's really good about flooding and helping us out, bringing food and helping with sandbags and sand and fires. Helping out people that are displaced or whatever it may be," said Fire Chief Zach Muse during the July UBVCC meeting.

During the Horsefly Fire last summer, the COAD was ready to put a shelter on standby with the Red Cross for people evacuating, Wojton said, and would have supported additional disaster efforts if the fire had spread.

"The sky is kinda the limit with what we could do, how would we help. We're here to serve the residents of Lewis and Clark County, Broadwater and Jefferson County. We're all about people helping people," Wojton said.