News & Events

AZ State VOAD

Description:

The VOAD meeting was held right after the AZ DEMA (Dept of Emergency and Military Affairs) Summit meeting in the same location so we had the opportunity to visit with some of those leaving the prior meeting who were not VOAD members. We had two teams at the DEMA meeting earlier in the day. The meeting started with approval of the previous minutes and reviewing financials. We then spent quite a bit of time discussing the problem of sheltering the immigrants crossing the border in Yuma and the areas south of Tucson. Various organizations shared about what they were doing to help in providing sheltering, food and supplies distribution, labor and transportation. All said the shortages from the continual immigration flow put the areas in a crisis situation. We then discussed new disaster technology that was being introduced. The AZ VOAD was selected by the National VOAD to pilot and test a new disaster response tool, Disaster Agencies Response Technology (DART) Volunteer Management module which is a system designed to manage volunteers and other aspects of the disaster cycle that saw serious problems during the 2017 hurricane season. Next discussed was the National VOAD Conference which will be held in Phoenix, the week of May 18 2020. April then reviewed the status of the newly formed committees (Membership, Community, EOC Liaison, 2020 Nat’l Conf., Faith Based, Recovery, Mass Care) and where help was needed. Regional VOAD chair/reps and Whitney Hensiak reviewed what the VOADS were doing around the state.

Jamie Deppey & Manda