01/23/18 @ 11:40 Final Post for the 01/23/18 Earthquake and Tsunami Response

Early this morning an earthquake shook all of us into the keen awareness of being prepared during an emergency. For our coastal communities, the tsunami warning system alerted residents to evacuate to higher ground immediately; and the warnings worked. Area residents living in low lying areas followed the well-known evacuation routes and mustered at predetermined locations in their communities. And just as responders directed folks to sheltering locations, residents returned home after the all clear was released from a warning to an advisory status. First responders that continued to work well into this morning are commended for their commitment to residents’ safety #teamwork!

There are several warning systems that were triggered for the tsunami warning: (1) the wireless emergency alert system that worked automatically with the tsunami warning sirens; (2) the warning sirens located in coastal communities that are within tsunami inundation zones (remember, there are no sirens for inland communities); (3) the borough’s emergency notification system that alerts landlines and registered cellphones (aka “Rapid Notify”). Part of the after action is to review all warning systems, evaluate gaps and install improvements after final analysis.

It is times like this that we are reminded of the strong sense of community and neighborhood engagement, ensuring each other’s safety. It is an affirmation that we Alaskans are resilient and often reminded to be prepared in the times of local emergencies.  In the coming weeks, the borough will continue to post preparedness tidbits to aide your local preparedness.

For now, take a moment to register on this borough-wide information blog. When this virtual joint information blog is activated during an area-wide response that involves multiple jurisdictions, you will receive emails from the responding agencies firsthand. Look for the “follow by email” window on the left hand side of your desktop. NOTE: Be sure to switch to “view web version” if you are registering from a cell phone. And lastly, remember to reply to the blog’s email, confirming that you are a real person.

This is the final post for the 01/23/2018 Earthquake and Tsunami Response Messaging.

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