Construction Operations - Operations and Readiness Branch
EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS

 

We had an earthquake, everyone is fine, but, what should I do or not do here at my home? If you want some quick tips, click here.

What should I do now that the shaking stopped?

A brief overview of the U.S. Army, Corps of Engineers, Emergency Operations. This outlines some of the various programs the Corps of Engineers are involved in for mitigation, flood fight and recovery phases of a disaster. Click here for more information.

What does the Corps of Engineers do in disasters?

• Anchorage CDRP Workshop

• Earthquakes 

• During an earthquake, stay calm. If you can, DUCK under a heavy table or desk to protect yourself from flying glass and other objects. Stay under this COVER and HOLD on to the desk or table (be prepared to move with it) until the shaking stops. After the quake, check for injuries, fires, and gas leaks. Be prepared for aftershocks. If you have animals put a tee shirt over their heads so they don't breath in the ash which will be mostly concentrate next to the ground or floor.

See "Earthquake Safety Checklist"*

published by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), October 1985. This bulletin outlines preparedness suggestions to aid in preparing a survival cache of emergency tools, clothing, equipment, food and water supplies. Emergency Management has extra copies of this publication.

•

Alaska Earthquake Activities*

A regularly updated homepage showing recent earthquake activities in the State of Alaska.

• Each Alaska District employee was provided a copy of

"Earthquake Preparedness"*

published by Lafferty & Associates, Inc., 1994. This 32 page booklet provides in-depth preparedness planning activities for your home, place of work, travel and family. The material is arranged in how you should plan family preparedness, community awareness and preparedness checklists for your neighborhood, school, workplace, and church. What should be contained in your emergency supply kit is outlined, along with sanitation, first aid, and sample meal menus, evaluations of your earthquake insurance, home inventory, structural considerations of your home, pertinent family information, what family documents you should store, how to shut off utilities, pre-planning for pet care and many helpful tips on maintaining your overall emergency preparedness. An update on the progress of earthquake advisories and imminent earthquake alerts (primarily in California) are included.

• Alaska District, Operations and Readiness has copies of suggested methods of securing your water heaters, and ways to minimize personal dangers and property damages caused by falling objects such as large bookshelves, heavy mirrors and pictures, and furniture caused by earthquake movements. If you would like a copy of these two informative sheets, please contact our office.

Volcanic Eruptions

 

• Minimize exposure particularly if you have health problems. Wear a protective mask if ash is heavy.

•

Ash Alert!*

Published by the Alaska Division of Emergency Services, supported by funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). If you wish to review pertinent methods of preparing for possible volcanic ashfall, click here.

•

Alaska Volcano Observatory

This homepage displays current Alaskan volcano activity information.

Other Emergencies

• In most areas of Alaska, call 911 to report life threatening and property threatening situations.
• For emergency information on Alaska Tsunamis, see Alaska Tsunami Warning Center, see

West Coast/Alaska Tsunami Warning Center

• For Alaska area weather warnings, see National Weather Service see

NWS - Alaska Region

 

Emergency Radio Service

 

•   As of January 1st, 1998, the old method of alerting the public of pending disasters, the Emergency Broadcast System (EBS), ceased to exist. In its stead the Emergency Alert System (EAS) came into being.    The EAS consists of a network of broadcast stations, across the Nation and across the State, with equipment designed to allow the automatic transmission and broadcasting of emergency messages. Alerts pass from station to station and on to the air automatically, without human intervention. EAS was designed to be a cooperative effort between government agencies and local broadcasters. In Alaska the EAS is overseen by the State Emergency Communications Committee (SECC), whose members include local broadcasters, the State of Alaska Division of Emergency Services (ADES), the National Weather Service and the West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Center.      The SECC is chaired by Alaska broadcasters.

 

Some FEMA and Red Cross pamphlets previously distributed to Alaska District employees are:

Emergency Food and Water Supplies *

Outlines sources of water, methods of storing water, methods of purifying water, methods of storage of food and guidelines for the shelf-life of emergency foods, how to improvise for cooking food, nutritional tips and what foods to use up first in an emergency. If you wish to review pertinent methods of storing food and water, click here.

Your Family Disaster Plan*

Outlines steps to insure your family of their preparedness, creation of a family disaster plan, checklists detailing tasks for each family member in case of a disaster, arrangements for uniting family members, practice home evacuations, and maintaining your plan. If you wish some basic ideas of how to prepare your Family Disaster Plan, click here.

Family Disaster Supplies Kit*

Contains concise information on preparing emergency kits, where and how to store them. If you wish to prepare your own kit, click here.

" Wildfire: Are You Prepared?*

Outlines wildfire safety, preplanning for escape from a wildfire, what to do before a wildfire threatens your home, precautions to decrease exposure, what emergency supplies to take when evacuated, and suggestions for a Family Disaster Plan. If you wish to review some basic guidelines for protecting your home from wildfire, click here.

"Emergency Preparedness Checklist"*

Contains concise information on preparing for emergencies. It contains "How To" tips, where you can obtain additional information, family Emergency contact list, escape plans for your home, how to prepare emergency kits, where and how to store them. Emergency Management has extra copies of this pamphlet if you need one.
 
• The following information pertains to the Municipality of Anchorage Area. Other Alaska District components should check with their local government officials for specific emergency preparedness activities and plans. Units located on any military facility will comply with that post or base OPLAN in effect for each specific area. For information regarding Emergency Preparedness at home, at work and while traveling, refer to the bulletins distributed by FEMA and your local chapter of The American Red Cross.

• Call 911 to report injuries, fires, or entrapments.
• If no telephone is available, flag down the nearest available Municipal vehicle or contact the nearest amateur radio operator.
• Call 343-4701 for recorded information about local Anchorage emergency conditions.
• For information on size and magnitudes of felt earthquakes, see Alaska Earthquake Information Center.
• For earthquake safety tips, contact the Office of Emergency Management.
• Call the municipal Air Quality Hotline at 343-4899 for any health advisories.
• For emergency conditions affecting Anchorage, call 343-4701 for recorded information.
• Call Police Dispatch at 786-8900 to report stalled, occupied vehicles that may need help.

Alaska District employees should try to be prepared for any disasters, providing emergency supplies to sustain their families for a a minimum of three days.
For more information, please contact Alaska District, Operations and Readiness Branch at 1-907-753-2753. Emergency Management is an element of this branch and may be reached by calling 1-907-753-2514. If you wish to make suggestions or comments in writing, our mailing address is:

USACE - Alaska District
CO-OR
P.O. Box 6898

Anchorage, AK 99506-0898

 Go to Alaska District Wildfire website

The POC for this page: CEPOA-CO-OR-EM 907-753-2514 Anchorage, Alaska Public.Affairs@poa02.usace.army.mil

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