The Howard County Community Organizations Active in Disaster (COAD) is a collaborative effort of community stakeholders, each having an equal role in the organization. Their goal is to organize and deploy community resources in an efficient and timely manner, effectively contributing to each phase of a disaster. The Howard County COAD hopes to provide opportunities for community organizations to get involved to make the community and its members safer and more prepared for threats of all kinds. The COAD is a coordinating organization and does not assume direct operational responsibility in any disaster situation.