During the COVID-19 pandemic, Baldwin County stood up one of the first long-term recoveries in the nation.

Now, the group responsible for that rapid response is readying for hurricane season, and you can help.

The Baldwin County Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster, VOAD for short, is a collection of individuals, civic organizations and community groups that assist when disaster strikes.

The conglomerate has been active for decades and most recently responded to community needs during the spread of COVID-19, Hurricane Sally and when a charter bus full of Texas students crashed on I-10 in Baldwin County in 2018.

"A lot of the community doesn't recognize we exist until something happens," said Deann Servos, executive director of Prodisee Pantry and VOAD chairperson.

VOAD volunteers are vetted and often train with federal, state and local emergency responders.

Servos said the group focuses on four c's: cooperation, communication, coordination and collaboration.

"This helps avoid duplication," Servos said. "The best way to serve our community is to prepare for disasters and know how to respond safely."

The organization also helps organize volunteers who arrive in the area after a major disaster. In the aftermath of Hurricane Sally in 2020, volunteers poured in from around the nation. VOAD coordinated where they were sent to help.

"If only one community gets all of the attention and a few miles over there is a devastated area that isn't being addressed, this takes care of that. It is a coordinated effort, so the entire community has access to resources," she said.

Additionally, the organization can help keep would-be scammers to a minimum.

"Our members are credentialed and can pass through checkpoint so the community can feel safe knowing those volunteers are vetted," Servos said.

In the days after Hurricane Sally made landfall in Baldwin County, VOAD members distributed 1,400 tons of food at 56 distribution sites around the county. That was just one of the tasks they took on during the recovery period.

"Our organization really did good work despite COVID-19 going on," she said. "All of these big, historical events that impacted Baldwin County, VOAD was there to help."

Members can join as individuals or as part of an organization such as a church, corporation, private business or nonprofit.

The next meeting will be April 17 at 10 a.m. at the Baldwin County
Emergency Operations Center in Robertsdale.