Volunteer Agency meetings for April 2021 - all virtually

Start Date: 2021-04-01

Description: April 1st started off the month with a Mental Health meeting. Program updates included how HOPE AACR is actively responding to the Boulder, CO supermarket shooting and that we had Montana HOPE members deploying in support of our Colorado Teams! Other agencies reporting out included Drug and Alcohol Services, Community Health Partners, Western Montana Mental Health, Montana Independent Living Project, 211's Help Center and the Bozeman School District. All were reporting significant impacts to their programs due to staff shortages and challenges that brings to their programs. Many noted continuing significant mental health and behavioral health issues with our communities! April 6th was American Red Cross reported a continuing active home fires that ARC has responded to locally and outside of our SW Montana area. People are home more, right?! Discussion and updates on virtual home fire education classes are continuing ("Homes Made Safer") as well as SW MT COAD informational updates from various committees were shared. April 7th...I debriefed with Carol Baumann and Harry Schlitz following their recent deployment to Boulder, CO. April 12th...I provided a 30 minutes HOPE AACR presentation to the Yellowstone County ARC Disaster Response volunteers. Harry was also in attendance. April 13th...Mass Care Committee (under SW MT COAD) held their monthly meeting for an hour. Updates on sheltering, Mental Health/Emotional and Spirtual Care (my role), and Child Care were given. The main topic for this month's meeting focused on Large Animal Sheltering updates. This area was found to be under-resourced during the Bridger Foothills Fire in September 2020. April 21....SW MT COAD held their monthly meeting from 1-2:00 p.m. Gallatin and Madison Counties updated what they are seeing on the vaccination front (lower numbers) and how the Salvation Army is continuing its support of feeding those working the clinics here in Bozeman. Fire Season has started in Madison County and Gallatin County is on HIGH ALERT for a long summer drought and its impact to fires within our area and Montana in general. WATER shortage is a problem considering a lower snow pact from this past winter. There is an in-person airport drill happening May 22nd. HOPE AACR will not be taking part in it, rather we are likely to work with ARC's June virtual airport table top exercise.

Agency: SW MT COAD and subcommittee meetings within COAD and ARC meeting
Teams: Carol Baumann (MH meeting) Harry Schlitz (HOPE AACR presentation at ARC meeting in his area)
Region: