Latest challenge shows Bellingham’s Emergency Manager, ‘ya’ll . . . she is a fighter!’
Liz Coogan knows a thing or two about preparing for the worst.
After all, Coogan is the city of Bellingham’s emergency manager and joined the Emergency Management Division just as the COVID-19 pandemic was getting its grips into the region — so being prepared . . . it’s her job.
But even with all her abilities to plan and prepare for the worst, there was little Coogan and her family could do to get ready for Oct. 12, when Coogan came down with “the worst headache she has ever had in her life” while at work, her sister Emily Patterson, wrote on a GoFundMe.com page in Coogan’s honor.
Coogan was rushed to St. Joseph’s hospital, where it was discovered that she had two major brain aneurysms.
“Our family was told that these were ‘not survivable,’” Patterson wrote. “We prepared for the worst — friends and family rushed to Bellingham for the chance to say our goodbyes.
“But our girl ya’ll . . . she is a fighter!”
Coogan fought through the first night and battled several medical hurdles, Patterson wrote, allowing her to be flown to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.
On Tuesday, Oct. 19, Coogan underwent brain surgery that lasted six hours.
“The tangle of blood vessels was removed and they removed most of a blood clot that was found,” Patterson wrote on Tuesday. “’Most’ concerned us but we have been reassured that everything went well and this is all very good news.”
But Coogan’s and her family’s work is far from over — she’s expected to recover at Harborview for two more weeks before heading to a rehab center, Patterson told The Bellingham Herald Wednesday, Oct. 20, but “she’s awake and alert.”
‘Liz needs our help’
That is indeed encouraging news, especially considering Coogan is a “devoted single mom of our dear Luke,” Patterson wrote.
“Have you met Luke? You may have without knowing it,” Patterson wrote. “Luke was diagnosed with a very rare disease as a child that requires special care for his needs that will last for the rest of his life.
“Liz and Luke are a team. They are often seen around town in inflatable costumes, riding bikes, or swimming in some of Bellingham’s hidden gems.”
But because Luke has special needs, Patterson wrote that Coogan has spent all of Luke’s life preparing to provide for Luke’s care in the event that something terrible ever was to happen to her.
“That time has come,” Patterson wrote.
Bills are adding up for medical flights, brain surgery, aftercare, rehabilitation and Coogan and Luke’s housing and care needs, Patterson wrote, and that is why she decided to start the GoFundMe page for her sister. So far the effort has raised more than $50,000 toward the $70,000 goal.
The campaign was shared on the Facebook page of the IAFF Local 106 Bellingham/Whatcom County Firefighters Association.
“Liz needs our help,” Patterson wrote. “Luke needs our help. We as a group of family and friends ask that you consider donating to this powerhouse of a woman and her sweet boy. I promise you that they are worth it!”
‘One of the bright stars’
Coogan has definitely done her share to help Bellingham and Whatcom County the past 20 years and the last 19 months, in particular.
She’s been an employee of the city of Bellingham, serving in several departments, including working at the library, with Parks and Recreation and in the mayor’s office before joining the Emergency Management Division, helping make Coogan well known.
“But she is not simply well-known, she is one of the bright stars in City government: highly competent and productive, friendly, kind and a valuable member of any team, and she strives to provide the best public services possible no matter what her role,” Bellingham Fire Department Chief Bill Hewett said in a statement emailed to The Bellingham Herald.
Coogan joined the fire department Feb. 16, 2020, to serve as the planning coordinator with the Emergency Management Team, but approximately two weeks into the job, COVID-19 hit Whatcom County, and “the work for all of our emergency management staff changed to focus on our community’s response to the pandemic,” Hewett wrote.
Whatcom Unified Command was activated to coordinate the response by the county, area cities and Tribes.
“Liz jumped into (Whatcom Unified Command) starting with leading the effort to support the food banks throughout the county in their efforts to continue to provide food,” Hewett wrote. “She helped to coordinate drop-off stations and logistical support to the food banks to ensure some of the most vulnerable in our community were able to get their basic needs met.
“Over time her role at (Whatcom Unified Command) change to that of Planning Section Chief, and (she) was an integral part of the team that stood up COVID testing sites and many of the county-sponsored vaccine clinics.”
When the Emergency Manager position became available in January 2021, Hewett wrote that Liz was a natural to take the lead due to her experience working through city-wide issues.
“She has been an invaluable contributor to our efforts since joining our team,” Hewett wrote. “We are tracking her progress carefully and we wish her the best in her recovery.”
This story was originally published October 22, 2021 at 5:00 AM.
