COAD Response Network

THIS PAGE IS A WORK IN PROGRESS! (2025.07.02)

The COAD Response Network ("COAD RN") is a network of nonprofit organizations, faith based institutions, and private businesses that may have a part to play in the response to or recovery from a major emergency or disaster (i.e. "Grey Skies" deployment). This article serves to explain how the COAD RN functions for both member organizations and disaster Logistics professionals who may request their services.

The COAD RN is shaped and managed under the following principles:

1. Our country's history with disaster response demonstrates clearly that nonprofit organizations, faith based institutions, and businesses often have a role responding to, or helping communities recover from, major emergencies and disasters. It is best practice for government emergency management organizations to form those relationships prior to an emergency event instead of standing up those relationships in the immediate aftermath of a disaster. This is the main purpose of establishing the COAD RN: for Portland regional disaster responders to be aware of what organizations may be available to assist, and to use established relationships to interface with those organizations.
2. The participation of a COAD RN member is never compulsory. Logistics may request the help and/or material resources of COAD RN members, but members are encouraged to accept or decline the request in consideration of what is in the best interests of their organization and the communities they serve.
3. Status as a COAD RN member should not imply to Logistics personnel that the member is prepared to contribute material resources, or can purchase needed material resources without the assistance of government. Logistics should be prepared to work with Finance to draw up contracts as needed if a member's response capability is contingent on resources the member does not possess.
4. Each COAD RN member's profile will include two key documents: a Concept of Operations ("CONOPS") which describes how an activated EOC should interface with the organization; and a Capability Statement, which describes the way(s) in which the organization may be able to assist in response and/or recovery operations. These documents should be written to comply with EMAP standards 4.6 and 4.9, and essentially serve as nonbinding Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs).
5. As COAD RN members participate voluntarily, their prospective response/recovery responsibilities are classified under the Volunteer Support Function (VSF) system.

Relevant Documents/Resources	Updated
Resource Request Message (ICS 213 RR)	2025.06.16
COAD RN MOU template	2025.06.30
Volunteer or Donated Labor Time Sheet	2024.03.19

Responsibilities of PBEM to COAD RN Members

Activation Communications

At any time an emergency incident occurs that prompts PBEM to activate the EOC (either the facility or virtually), a member of PBEM's Community Preparedness Team will send an informational email to all COAD RN partners. The email will provide situation status information and indicate whether PBEM will request help from any COAD partners (and if so, from which partners to launch which capabilities). PBEM will follow up after the informational email with direct contact to the COAD partner to make a formal request and submit an ICS 213 RR.

Under extraordinary circumstances, PBEM may hold an online briefing with COAD partners in addition to an informational email.

The informational email will be standardized and include the following components (nothing in a notification email will be confidential/sensitive information):

Guidance	Description
Synopsis	Brief description of the incident and incident status, and one sentence on whether COAD partners will be asked for assistance and/or placed on stand by.
Hazard and hazard impacts	Clarification on hazards to life/safety/property posed by the incident.
Location	Location of the incident and any collateral locations associated.
Time	Information about when impacts began and how long they are expected to continue.
Partner information	Details on which COAD partners may expect receive requests, and for what; or, which COAD partners PBEM is asking to monitor on stand by.

Drafting the COAD Response Network MOU

Unless the COAD RN partner prefers to draft the MOU, PBEM will draft the initial MOU for review of the partner. PBEM will rely on partner staff to flag any changes needed to an MOU, but PBEM can also make changes to the document and submit for review.

Grants

Grants to improve response capacity

PBEM staff are on the lookout for grant opportunities that will strengthen disaster response and recovery capabilities. Grants may be offered to PBEM that encourage the participation of nonprofit/faith/business organizations. First consideration in these grant opportunities will be given to COAD RN members.

Grant endorsements

If a COAD RN member pursues a grant and the prospective grant resources can be used to enhance disaster readiness/response/recovery, PBEM encourages the member to request a letter of endorsement from PBEM to include in the grant application, if appropriate. That request should go to the PBEM Community Preparedness Manager.

PBEM can take responsibility for writing the endorsement, but it is helpful to have a draft from the grant applicant if possible. At minimum, the applicant should provide bullet points to the PBEM Community Preparedness Member to form into a letter of endorsement.