Aligning Resources Before the Fire Starts – Why Nevada County Needs a COAD

By Erika Kosina

At the April 30 Discovery Salon, “In It Together,” the Community Foundation of Nevada County (COFO NC) convened leaders from emergency services and nonprofits to explore a crucial question: How can Western Nevada County be better prepared for the next disaster? The answer that emerged was clear. We need coordination and communication. In other words -- we need a COAD (Community Organizations Active in Disaster).

Bridging the Funding Gap After a Disaster

A COAD strengthens disaster response and recovery by organizing the nonprofits, agencies and volunteers that serve the county’s most vulnerable residents during and after a crisis. “We organize the organizations who are doing the direct service work and build capacity through nonprofits and other organizations,” explained Anne Rarick, manager of the Tahoe Truckee COAD. A COAD can also serve as a central hub for receiving and distributing donations while supporting disaster planning and education.

COFO NC was recently selected to join the League of California Community Foundation's Disaster Readiness Initiative, a year-long program designed to strengthen disaster response leadership through peer collaboration, expert-led virtual workshops and hands-on project implementation. A $75,000 grant will be made available to participating foundations, which COFO NC hopes to use to establish a COAD in Western Nevada County. 

The need for such coordination became painfully clear during the 2021 River Fire. Sarah Eastberg, navigation and employment services program manager at Connecting Point, described how quickly their team pivoted to help those displaced. “A lot of people left in flip-flops and thought they would be able to go back,” she said. “They were never allowed to go back to their houses.” Connecting Point became a one-stop shop for fire survivors — offering FEMA navigation, grocery and clothing support, emergency lodging, and financial relief. “211 call agents would take the referral and hand them off to navigators. One phone number, one person to talk to,” said Eastberg.

In the aftermath of the River Fire, the Nevada County Relief Fund (now part of the Community Foundation of Nevada County), collected donations from the American Red Cross and local donors and provided immediate aid that federal systems couldn’t. “The FEMA process is so long and cumbersome. You have to collect a lot of paperwork that no longer exists. It’s all gone,” said Eastberg. “The Relief Fund gave families an opportunity to tell us what they needed and to get immediate funds for specific needs. You get to choose the clothes you wear and get the shoes that fit your kids.”

That funding made a critical difference for families — the difference between not knowing where they were going to stay and having a place for a few nights. “Some families had nowhere to go,” Eastberg said. “A few days in a hotel offered a little bit of normalcy and gave them time to figure it out.”

Not all disasters trigger FEMA support, and even when they do, the aid is limited and delayed. The maximum household assistance of $40,000 is not enough to rebuild a house, even for those who qualify. More support is necessary for affected community members to rebuild their homes -- and their lives. “The Relief Fund was crucial in getting people back on their feet,” said Rarick. “Building our local capacity for resilience is crucial.”

The Relief Fund also came into play when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and small businesses suffered. Hair salons and barbershops, restaurants, and businesses that provide personal care services were hit the hardest when the pandemic forced everyone to stay at home. Kristin York, Vice President of the Sierra Business Council, recalls how the relief fund money bridged the gap for businesses who were forced to close: "The Nevada County Disaster Relief Fund brought immediate relief to small businesses that were most impacted by the Covid-19 Executive Order requiring certain businesses to close and or limit operations and revenue generating opportunities,” she said. “The relief funds were a small but necessary life-line to businesses who were impacted without warning. Recipients reported that the funds allowed them to continue to pay rent, meet minimal payroll obligations and pivot to offer on-line sales or compliant operations with appropriate safety measures."

Coordinating Resources Before a Disaster Happens

Getting funds to the people and businesses  who need it is just one aspect of disaster preparation and recovery. After snowmageddon, one of the biggest challenges was navigating blocked roads to reach community members who were isolated and stuck. Plenty of Nevada County residents with four-wheel drive vehicles and chainsaws were willing to help, but there was no coordinating agency to tell them where they were needed. While many agencies in Nevada County are actively engaged in preparedness, panelists at the salon highlighted the limitations of working in silos without an umbrella organization to coordinate efforts.

“We have amazing resources and an incredible nonprofit community,” said Scott Beesley. “But there are gaps.” Alex Keeble-Toll, director of Nevada County’s Office of Emergency Services (OES), agreed. “You have to build the network before the disaster happens,” she said. “We need to know the capabilities that each organization brings and what resources are available — what makes those resources deployable.” Recovery depends not just on available resources, but on an aligned human infrastructure.

Nevada County’s volunteer community is renowned for its size and dedication. Helping each other out in tough situations is part of our rural culture. Jo Ann Fites-Kaufman, board president of the newly formed Fire Safe Nevada County Coalition, noted the value of the passion already present in our community. “We have the energy and commitment of people; we just need to harness that,” she said. From youth preparedness initiatives to 4x4 volunteer driver networks, many ideas surfaced during the salon — but without coordination, execution is constrained.

A COAD fills the role of convener and central communicating agency, facilitating coordination and communication among all the participating organizations and volunteers, finding out who needs what and who can help, and then ensuring the right resources are quickly connected with individual needs. A COAD, in concert with a Community Foundation that is able to bring in and administer funding, would put Nevada County in a much better position to recover from disaster.

In addition to helping facilitate local giving in the event of a disaster, community foundations are also able to draw on a wider variety of funding sources, both from private foundations and public entities after the event has happened. “Community foundations act as the center of gravity in recovery,” states Lily Bui, PhD, who heads up the LA Wildfire Recovery Funders Collaborative. “After other funders have exited the scene, they continue to draw attention to and fund the ongoing needs of their communities.”

As recovery from the River Fire continues three years later, the message is clear: True resilience begins before disaster strikes. “We realize our vulnerabilities, and we have this window,” said Keeble-Toll. With one organization taking the lead to communicate and coordinate resources, we can figure it out together — now, when it counts.