Tag: Dan Nelson
Being Prepared
by Dan Nelson
As residents of the Kenai Peninsula, we know that disasters can happen at any time. September is National Preparedness Month, and it is a good time to prepare yourself and those in your care for emergencies and disasters. In just the past week we have seen disasters in Colorado as the result of flooding, which we saw locally here last fall. Combine that with volcanoes, earthquakes, and winter weather and we have a high likelihood of experiencing emergencies here on the Kenai.
Communities like Seldovia that are off the road system have additional considerations because of the logistics of receiving supplies and a smaller resource pool of responders to draw from. Police, fire and rescue may not always be able to reach you quickly in an emergency or disaster. The most important step you can take in helping your local responders is being able to take care of yourself and those in your care; the more people who are prepared, the quicker the community will recover.
Borough Mayor Mike Navarre recently proclaimed September as Disaster Preparedness Month on the Kenai Peninsula. We would encourage everyone to Continue Reading
Tsunami Warning System Testing – Wednesday 27th at 9:45am
by Dan Nelson, Citizen Corps Program Coordinator, KPB IC-III Planning Section Chief
OFFICIALS TO CONDUCT TEST OF THE ALASKA TSUNAMI WARNING SYSTEM
NOAA’s National Weather Service and Alaska’s Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, in cooperation with local emergency management offices and the Alaska Broadcasters Association, will conduct a test of the tsunami warning communications system on Wednesday, March 27 at 9:45 a.m.
The test is part of Tsunami Preparedness Week, proclaimed by Gov. Sean Parnell as March 24 to 30. The week coincides with the anniversary of the Good Friday Earthquake – a devastating 9.2 magnitude earthquake that triggered deadly tsunamis in Alaska on Good Friday, March 27, 1964.
The communications test will involve NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards, the emergency alert system and other state and local communication links. Radio listeners should hear the familiar alerting tone followed by an audio message describing the test, similar to the routine monthly tests of the emergency alert system. Residents of some communities may hear sirens, and the siren audio may not contain the word “TEST.”
It is important to note that some television systems are programmed to scroll a standard message based upon the emergency code received. In some cases, the message may not contain the word ‘TEST’. An audio message will say that it is a test, but if the volume is turned down or otherwise unheard, viewers may not realize the warning is a test.
The general public can participate in the test by monitoring NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards, commercial radio, cable TV or local television for the emergency alert system message. Local emergency management may use the test to help increase preparedness for the tsunami hazard. If there is excessive seismic activity on March 27, the test will be canceled.
The public can provide feedback online at http://ready.alaska.gov/
Click here for answers to frequently asked tsunami-related questions.
Disaster Training Available
by Dan Nelson
An information session will be held regarding the CERT program on Friday March 8, 12:00pm at the Seldovia Conference Center. An overview of the program will be provided followed by an open discussion and Q&A time. The organizers will be looking for feedback from the community regarding scheduling and will have literature about the program and general preparedness available. A light lunch will be provided to attendees.
The Community Emergency Response Team or CERT is a training program for community members that will teach basic skills that can be useful in the event of emergencies or disasters. At the conclusion of this 25 hour training, a mock disaster is held in order for the community to practice their skills. Training provides skills in basic fire suppression, disaster preparedness, disaster medical operations, incident command, and many other skills.
Living in Alaska is not quite like the lower 48 – it takes longer to get somewhere and sometimes we don’t even have a road to get there! Getting groceries is not as easy as getting in the SUV and running down to the supermarket, and sometimes mother nature decides to bring winter storms, flooding and earthquakes our way. Residents in Seldovia know that even more than city dwellers in Alaskan cities – planning ahead is essential to make sure there are supplies, fuel, and other everyday necessities.
In addition to preparing for everyday needs, it is essential to prepare for the unexpected and times of disaster. As we saw last week with the Gerry Willard generation plant, sometimes even the backup goes down. The Community Emergency Response Team or CERT program exists to train community members how to respond to Continue Reading
Seldovia Time
