JUNEAU — Individual Alaskans are not prepared for a disaster, Gov. Sean Parnell said Wednesday in urging residents to have enough food and water on hand to sustain themselves for up to a week.
Parnell, who has made disaster readiness a priority of his administration, said he remembers when Alaskans had supplies in their garages and pantries, particularly in the years after the magnitude 9.2 earthquake and tsunami that killed nearly 130 people in 1964. Today, Parnell said, many Alaskans are used to going to the store several times a week for food for dinner — a luxury they may not have if a disaster strikes.
During a news conference in Anchorage, in which he was joined by that city’s mayor, Dan Sullivan, and state emergency management director John Madden, the governor emphasized personal responsibility and said everyone should have on hand a week’s worth of food and purified water just in case.
He said it’s not so much a matter of if something will happen, but when.
Madden said the state itself in evaluating its own readiness looks at events that would disrupt delivery of essential services: food, water, shelter, power, medicine. He said those could include such things as an earthquake, tsunami or cold weather.
Parnell believes the state is doing pretty well when it comes to its own readiness. He said the Legislature this year appropriated money for generators and water purification. He said plans are also being worked on to establish food caches. He planned to hold a Cabinet meeting on the issue of readiness Friday.
Earlier this year, in announcing he wanted to focus greater attention on readiness, Parnell told key staff that he wanted Alaska to be prepared not only for natural disasters but also for unemployment and “civil unrest” in the Lower 48 “that could lead to an influx here.”
He said Wednesday that unrest could include dissatisfaction in urban areas. He said he hasn’t heard of any such issues so far.
The governor has said he wants Alaskans to be prepared for anything. To that end, public service announcements urging readiness have aired.
Sullivan, who oversees the state’s largest city, said officials are engaged in “constant” drills and exercises. Personally, though, he admits he’s not as prepared as he should be. He noted that complacency can set in as there is distance from a major disaster.
Sullivan said he planned to use the weekend to do some shopping.
Comments (22)
Add commentIf theres a disaster and we
If theres a disaster and we are out of food, the bag limits going to be forgotten!
They be comin' to steal our PFD's
The story says: Parnell told key staff that he wanted Alaska to be prepared not only for natural disasters but also for unemployment and “civil unrest” in the Lower 48 “that could lead to an influx here.”
What an irresponsible comment. Is he saying urban folk (Parnell code for black and brown people) are coming up here? Are he and Palin going to foment enough tea party craziness that the wide-eyed ones are coming?
Or was it when he was praying with Rick Perry that God spoke directly to him to let Parnell know that He was going to cause "civil" unrest that would drive people to Alaska to rob us of our PFDs?
Hey, rat, just a little
Hey, rat, just a little projection on your part? You're looking at those "urban folk" (your words) as threatening?
Parnell is exactly right about being prepared. And no, he didn't mean those "urban folk" were going to rush on up to Juneau. He's talking about disruptions in supplies or whatever else for the city.
Get a grip and get off your racist high horse. It's not becoming to spin anybody's words. And you're pretty scared of the Tea Party, too, huh?!
Lol Ich
I have enough food to last a MONTH!! And 5 gallons of water on the porch.....
There's really no point in
There's really no point in keeping water on hand in Southeast Alaska... A water filter would be a more economical and less cumbersome solution. Or even just a bottle of iodine (if you don't mind particulate matter in your drinking water).
And everyone should have 7 days of food in their pantries (dried beans, grains, cans of soup, etc.). If they don't, they eat out too often and should learn how to cook, not just for an improbable emergency, but for their own wellbeing.
Or you can just hold your cup
Or you can just hold your cup out the window and get plenty of drinking water...
Make pet food a part of any disaster plan
and pet medications for that matter.
Mike
Unless you live next to an
Unless you live next to an AEL&P reservoir...
Parnell was 2 in 1962
Sean Parnell was 2 years old in 1962 and was not even living in Alaska until 1973!
So, he does NOT remember anything about the quake in 1962 or what happened afterwards.
he wants Alaska to be prepared for the "civil unrest” in the Lower 48 “that could lead to an influx here....................Parnell are you not part of influx to our state?
Sean Parnell its your Republican Tea Bagging Party that has caused the civil unrest in this country, and it is your party that has worked to keep us from doing anything to slow down Climate Change . Think about what happens when the "lower 48" starts figuring out that climate change is real.
Anchorage is less prepared
Anchorage is less prepared today after spending $320 million on UPgrading the Anchorage dock than Anchorage was before, because all of the ship dock space will fall apart in a severe earthquake, it even falls apart on its own, without help. Something that Juneau / Douglas would never allow. In Anchorage, with its earthquakes, the dock is not an allowed discussion.
Anchorage is less prepared
Anchorage is less prepared today after spending $320 million on UPgrading the Anchorage dock than Anchorage was before, because all of the ship dock space will fall apart in a severe earthquake, it even falls apart on its own, without help. Something that Juneau / Douglas would never allow. In Anchorage, with its earthquakes, the dock is not an allowed discussion.
Anchorage is less prepared
Anchorage is less prepared today after spending $320 million on UPgrading the Anchorage dock than Anchorage was before, because all of the ship dock space will fall apart in a severe earthquake, it even falls apart on its own, without help. Something that Juneau / Douglas would never allow. In Anchorage, with its earthquakes, the dock is not an allowed discussion.
Anchorage is less prepared
Anchorage is less prepared today after spending $320 million on UPgrading the Anchorage dock than Anchorage was before, because all of the ship dock space will fall apart in a severe earthquake, it even falls apart on its own, without help. Something that Juneau / Douglas would never allow. In Anchorage, with its earthquakes, the dock is not an allowed discussion.
Slow news day! (Yawn)
Nothing much goin' on today, folks, I guess that's good news. The Gov. had an empty spot, and felt he had to say something intelligent. Good intentions never hurt anybody.
Truth is, most people in Alaska haven't eaten last years freezer burned halibut yet. They are prepared - they all have guns! - lots of them. And because of the State of Alaska Perm Fund Division, they all have ammo and fishhooks too. No worries there.
If you really want to help out in an emergency, fund a University system that teaches people to learn and to think. Someday Alaskans will have to learn about the planet they live on. That would be a good place to start.
Eat your neighbors
In a crisis, I just plan on eating my neighbors. They are easier to catch than deer.
(snicker)
That was a joke.
At least the rat dog. It
At least the rat dog. It would also depend on the neighbor. If all they eat is McDonalds, you wouldnt want to eat that. Kinda like a garbage bear.
Seasons
with the right seasoning, and a slow smoke I think they might turn out all right plus with all the fat from Micky D's it would provide good moisture for the meat........To far =0)
Being prepared in Alaska
I was around Alaska before, during and after, the earthquake in 1964 (not 1962) and I found then, as I do now, that lots of people were "prepared," especially people who had lived here for a long time, like the Native people. I learned a lot from them about being prepared for short emergencies like a week or two, but even more about longer "emergencies."
I became indoctrinated into some of those things so that today, I always have enough food on hand for a month or so. If longer, I have some pretty good ideas on where and how to survive. I think that long-time Alaskans already know how to survive a week or two. Perhaps newcomers to the State who have never had the "Alaskan experience," need some instruction about life here.
What I don't see is being prepared for a disaster that may last for years. Something that may affect future generations. The old Native people, whose ancestors have lived here for thousands of years and survived, seem to me to understand life in Alaska a little better than those who came here recently to make money so they could spend the rest of their lives elsewhere.
That's just my opinion and perhaps it is biased.
September is National Preparedness Month
Local, state, and federal agencies will join to host a public Emergency Preparedness Expo on Friday and Saturday, September 23 and 24. Many charitable, service, and medical organizations, financial institutions, animal welfare, and housing experts will be on hand to provide you with valuable information to help you prepare to maintain your and your family’s wellbeing during a catastrophic emergency.
Parnell is Alaska's disaster
Alaskans should prepare for the disaster that will befall Alaska if Parnell’s $2 billion oil tax give away for nothing in return passes the Alaska Senate. It will be 1980s all over again, with a real estate collapse; most Alaskans will be upside down in their mortgages as State spending collapses to compensate for Parnell’s $2 billion oil tax give away.