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ALPENA — Sarah Melching, Montmorency County’s emergency management director, told The News she is starting a volunteer emergency response team in response to the challenges Northeast Michigan faced during the March 2025 ice storm that left thousands without power.

According to a press release from Melching, her office is in the beginning stages of creating a countywide Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD) group. A VOAD brings together interested community organizations who can assist in phases of the emergency management cycle, which include preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation.

“Our goal is to strengthen coordination and communication among volunteer organizations before disasters strike, so that we can serve our community more effectively when they do,” the release states.

Melching told The News that there are national and state level VOADs already in existence. However, she said that it is her goal to create a local VOAD that can respond quicker in times of a disaster.

Melching explained that VOADs follow set standards and follow rules and policies that Montmorency County’s would follow, as well.

“Our intent is to create a knock-off of that at the county level,” Melching said.

“The Red Cross has a wonderful mission,” Melching added. “But when 12 to 14 counties are affected all at once their resources get stretched very thin.”

She explained that the Red Cross “like every other nonprofit organization, is struggling to find volunteers.”

To mitigate these challenges, Melching’s goal is to reach out to local organizations that have an interest in serving. She explained that volunteers would be vetted through background checks and would be trained to respond in various emergency situations, whether that is a tornado, snow storm, or another ice storm.

“We already would have a mechanism so the volunteers can go out and do what they do best,” Melching said. “They will be ready to go.”

Melching has three meetings set up in Lewiston, Hillman, and Atlanta in December to introduce the goals of VOAD and to meet community members.

Melching began her new position in Montmorency County in August after acting as Presque Isle County’s emergency manager. She helped coordinate emergency response efforts in Presque Isle County during the March ice storm.

“This is a building process,” Melching added. “We know who some of the volunteers are in the county.”

Melching explained that a VOAD would streamline efforts and ensure that each organization is using their resources effectively.

“If we have 50 different organizations trying to assist it can get crazy,” Melching said. “We can get off balance.”

She also stated that though state level VOADs are beneficial in times of emergency across the state, it sometimes takes a while for “state resources to get moving.” She said she believes that having a local level VOAD will put Montmorency County in a better place in the future to respond in times of emergency.

“I hope it is successful,” Melching added.

All upcoming VOAD meetings are held at 6 p.m. Dates and locations are listed below for those interested:

— Lewiston Elementary School on Tuesday, Dec. 2

— Hillman Community Center on Wednesday, Dec. 3

— Atlanta Senior Citizens on Thursday, Dec. 4

Kayla Wikaryasz can be reached at 989-358-5688 or kwikaryasz@TheAlpenaNews.com.