By Stacy Lamb
The forecast calls for a storm. It could be anything from a hurricane to a tornado. It could even be floods. But the type of disaster doesn’t matter, because Convoy of Hope is prepared to jump into action no matter the situation.
What happens behind-the-scenes in Convoy of Hope’s Disaster Services department? All year long, no matter the season, our team members and lead volunteers are constantly training and preparing for the next response.
Of course, there are disasters that catch all of us off guard — like earthquakes or tsunamis — but more often than not, disasters are weather-related in some way, and that means we can see them coming, so to speak.
It All Starts in the COHOC
Whether it’s a hurricane forming offshore, severe weather and tornadoes being forecasted, or extensive rainfall leading to flooding, these types of disasters put our team into motion before they even occur. When the probability of weather-related events start increasing, we activate the Convoy of Hope Operations Center, or the “COHOC” as we call it. While the COHOC exists within the walls of our World Headquarters in Springfield, Missouri, technology today allows us to have a virtual COHOC wherever we go.
Once activated, we are scouring multiple sources of data to mine out the latest intel to help us shape our potential response. At the same time, we are readying the appropriate trucks, supplies, equipment, and personnel to respond, should the situation escalate.
When We Hit the Road
If a response is warranted, we hit the road. The COHOC continues to provide support to the team while en route by providing the latest intel on the situation and identifying potential landing spots.
Once the deployment team is in full response mode in the field, support continues from the COHOC by seeking out the latest intel, but also by communicating with other parts of the organization to provide two-way communication — to and from the field. It is important for the COHOC to act as the central hub of communication for the overall response.
In addition to the COHOC, we have a Mobile Operations Center, and once deployed, it acts as our base for field operations. The Mobile Operations Center and the COHOC are in constant contact for the duration of the response through cellular and satellite communication devices.
Cleaning & Debriefing
Once the response comes to an end and the team returns home, there are a plethora of tasks, including cleaning and maintenance of equipment, and debriefing to refine our processes for the next response. Once all the work is done and things are back in place, we’re ready to do it all over again.
