On 14 August 2019 Hillsborough County formed a New Coalition to address Disaster Response.
Hillsborough County now has a COAD again! A COAD is a group composed of Community Organizations Active in Disasters. This creates a forum where not-for-profits and faith based groups meet with local government emergency personnel and interested business leaders can meet. This first meeting was brought together by Ted Williams, Senior
Program Coordinator for the Hillsborough County Office of Emergency Management.
The Board of Directors who will lead this group are:
Chairman- Jim Carpenter, Director of Operations/Food Services for Feeding Tampa Bay
Vice Chair- Jason K. Susalla, Disaster Relief Coordinator for Bay Area Legal Services Inc.
Secretary- Mary Lindsey, Disaster Relief Case Manager for Bay Area Legal Services Inc.
Member at large- Kate McPherson, Executive Director of Recover Tampa Bay Initiative
Member at large- Judy Fagerman, Florida Director of Churches of Scientology Disaster Response, and Secretary of Florida VOAD.
The group will meet in times "blue sky" to become acquainted with one another's purposes and capabilities in times of disaster, allowing for a better ability to help and a more coordinated response in times of disaster.