The need for relief often lasts several weeks after earthquakes, floods and disasters.
A group of public agencies, civic groups and people who live in Snohomish County is ready to help provide backup relief if supplies run low.
The group, called CO-AID, plans a workshop from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday at the Everett Public Library, 2702 Hoyt Ave. Anyone interested in joining the group is invited.
The group includes the Snohomish County chapter of the American Red Cross and several churches, said Chris Badger, county Department of Emergency Management emergency coordinator.
Badger said the group gives “fourth-day” relief, pitching in when supplies become scarce and federal help hasn’t yet arrived.
After a disaster, the group also will work to corral donations coming into the county, whether it’s toothpaste or food. The group does not collect or give out money; it works with other organizations to distribute supplies.
The group was formed in the mid-1990s and originally was called COAD, for Community Organizations Active in Disaster. The group was used twice in the late 1990s after fires at a business and a senior living center.
Hurricane Katrina was a reminder of why the group is needed, Badger said. “People are interested, and they want to help,” she said.
Reporter Scott Pesznecker: 425-339-3436 or spesznecker@heraldnet.com.
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