Storm Season Is amongst Us: Know Your Community’s Emergency Response Plan
As fall storm season approaches, September is National Preparedness Month and a good reminder to plan ahead. Alaskans are resilient and accustomed to challenging conditions, but emergencies can happen quickly. Being proactive rather than reactive can make an important difference, especially during the critical first 72 hours following a disaster.
In this picture, we see Ty and Todd helping the environmental department look for a logger that was lost due to a lack of planning. Some foresight and planning can go a long way!
One resource available to Alaska communities is the Small Community Emergency Response Plan (SCERP). A SCERP is a simple, community-specific emergency plan designed to help smaller communities prepare for and respond to emergencies such as severe storms, flooding, ice jams, fires, earthquakes, power outages, and evacuations.
The plan helps answer important questions: Who is in charge during an emergency? Where are the community shelters? How will residents evacuate if necessary? Who should be contacted for medical assistance? How will damage be reported, and how does the community request outside assistance?
Developing a SCERP brings together local and Tribal leaders, health aides, VPSOs, fire and EMS personnel, search and rescue, schools, utility managers, IGAP staff, and elder and youth representatives. Once a plan is developed, communities are encouraged to EXERCISE, EXERCISE, EXERCISE! Practicing the plan helps ensure everyone knows what to do and who is responsible when an actual emergency occurs.
For the Native Village of Georgetown, emergency preparedness extends well beyond one location. Georgetown Tribal members live in communities throughout Alaska, and emergency response procedures can be different from one community to another. Members are encouraged to learn about the emergency response plan where they currently live. Know who coordinates emergency response, where shelters are located, how emergency information will be communicated, and what resources are available locally.
Preparedness also begins at home. Individuals and families should be prepared to take care of themselves during the first 72 hours of an emergency, particularly if power, transportation, communications, or other services are disrupted. Important household items to have available may include a generator and fuel, batteries, flashlights, stored food and drinking water, cold-weather clothing and gear, and a safe emergency heating source. Families should also consider medications, first-aid supplies, important documents, and a way to receive emergency information if cell phone or internet service is unavailable.
Take time before an emergency to talk with your family, check your supplies, and learn about your community’s response plan. Knowing the plan and your role in it before an emergency happens can help keep you, your family, and your community safer.
Plan. Prepare. Respond. Recover. Adapt.
For more information on creating a household emergency plan, please click here.