Girdwood community resilience challenge begins

By Chief Michelle Weston

Girdwood Fire and Rescue

This fall as you begin to prepare for winter and winter recreation, let’s also prepare for emergencies. Having worked over 20 years in emergency services, a common theme is that disasters never happen when you are ready for them, but preparing for them mentally and with some planning can make them a better experience.

Many local residents can remember the winter storm in the 1990s that left us cut off on both sides of the Seward Highway by avalanches, and a portion of the lower valley had no power for five days. During the 2018 7.0 earthquake, Girdwood was initially cut off from Anchorage by rockslides.

This is the first in a series of tips to help you become more individually stronger and resilient for a disaster. Challenge #1 is for food, water, cooking and emergency lighting.

Residents should have seven days of food and emergency water stored for each family member and pet. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends one gallon of drinking water per person each day plus one ounce of water per pound of pet per day. A 60 pound dog would need a half gallon of water a day.

So for me, one person with two dogs: I will need to store two gallons a day x seven days= 14 gallons of water or three x five gallon water containers.  

If you plan to use emergency food that needs water to rehydrate or cook or wash, you need to add that additional water into the calculation. You should have a plan to cook on a BBQ or a camp stove and have fuel canisters and think about if you had to go 5 days without power, what food defrosting in your freezer would you eat first. Its also a good tip to try your emergency food out before hand to see if you like it and how to make it. I discovered I hated some of the Mountain House foods, I thought I would love. I also suggest including in the emergency food cache, a favorite snack, chocolate and beverage, so when you are feeling low or stressed during the disaster you can break out the emergency feel good food and beverages!

There are many awesome rechargeable lights available now. I like the solar ones but there also are great battery set ups. Look at what you already have for camping or holidays. Practice one night this month, turning off the house lights and turn on your emergency lights and see if you like your set up and if the batteries still work and if you have gaps. Lights against mirrors can help reflect light. Every Alaskan should also own a headlamp (check your batteries) and keep it by your bed and/or front door and have a spare in your vehicle.

Join us for our next upcoming challenge—winter driving.

Girdwood’s Community Emergency Response Team meets the 4th Monday of each month at 7 p.m, at the fire station to help prepare our community for disasters. All community members are welcome to attend.

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