How is responding to a disaster different in the State of Alaska?

March 20, 2014
Release Number: 14-2

This exercise will coincide with 50th anniversary commemoration events of
the 1964 Great Alaskan Earthquake (in 3 days, on the 27th)

A large earthquake in Alaska, especially in winter, would require a
different type of response than most areas of the nation. FEMA Region X is
participating in a series of exercises that will test the ability of the
federal government to respond to major disasters in Alaska.

The largest of the exercises is Alaska Shield 2014. This full-scale
emergency response exercise, occurring in late March of 2014 that will test
the plans and actions of the State of Alaska, FEMA, territorial
governments, private sector companies, INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS,
non-governmental organizations, and academic institutions and its
partners.

The earthquake scenario is designed to be of sufficient complexity to
DISRUPT STATE SERVICES, making it difficult for communities to obtain
outside assistance but allow life safety activities to resume.

1. They will not be following standard operating procedure (SOP) for this exercise which is TABOO
2. International coordination (Russia?)
3. The 50th anniversary of the 64 quake
4. It says they will take down State services but then restore them. They do not typically interrupt services for exercises.

There is more to this than they are saying...
Alaska and Region X

Mar 24, 2014