Tuesday, July 1, 2014

National VOAD Announces 56th State/Territory Member for Disaster Preparedness, Recovery

National VOAD Announces 56th State/Territory Member for Disaster Preparedness, Recovery

National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster has announced that the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands has established a VOAD, making it the 56th State/Territory VOAD.
The 112 total Members of National VOAD – including 56 state/territory Members and 56 national Member organizations – represent a diverse group of highly competent emergency service organizations who provide a wide range of skills in service to American communities before and after manmade or natural disasters.
Daniel L. Stoecker – President and CEO of National VOAD – said, “National VOAD was honored to support the Commonwealth leadership’s initiative to establish an inclusive, collaborative mechanism for organizing their community to better prepare for and respond to emergencies.”
Leaders for the CNMI VOAD include:
  • Chair Wayne Gillespe, from the Salvation Army
  • Vice Chair Robbie Myers, Pastor of Saipan Community Church
  • Treasurer/Secretary Romino Saimon of the Chuuckese Association.
Jennifer Posten – Director of Member Services at National VOAD – said, “The VOAD movement helps communities to form relationships and work together before disaster strikes which is vital to creating and sustaining resiliency.”
She added, “We have seen with previous disasters in the Pacific that logistics can be a challenge and having a strong coalition locally helps with cooperation, communication, coordination, and collaboration in those critical first hours and days in the aftermath of a disaster.”
CNMI is a group of 14 islands located north of Guam and has a total land area of 183.5 square miles. Its principal inhabited islands are Rota, Saipan and Tinian.
Among the 14 islands, the population totals about 54,000. The islands have a tropical marine climate, with a dry season from December to June and a rainy season from July to November.

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