Alaska Insight is supported in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and by viewers just like you.

Thank you.

Alaskans know that a natural disaster can strike with little or no warning.

I've never experienced a landslide until then.

I never even heard about one.

As climate change intensifies storms, how are emergency managers in our state planning for the future?

We'll hear about coordinated efforts to save lives and mitigate damage right now on Alaska Insight.

Four emergency managers.

It's not a matter of if, but when the next big disaster will strike.

Alaskans are keenly aware of the risk of earthquakes, wildfire, and the damage that can come from powerful coastal storms.

Deadly landslides have also been too frequent in recent years.

In southeast tonight, we'll talk with state and tribal emergency response managers about how the various groups are strengthening partnerships to help Alaskans during and after a severe event, and what they want us all to know about how to better prepare to survive.

Before we get to that discussion, here are some of the top stories of the week from Alaska Public Media's collaborative statewide news network.

State regulators have fined proponents of the 2020 for ranked choice repeal ballot measure nearly $157,000 for what officials called egregious and widespread violations of campaign finance laws.

The Alaska Public Offices Commission issued its final order in the long running case on Monday, levying large penalties against ranked choice opponent Art Mathias and three groups led by him and fill eyes on the groups listed.

Attorney.

Former Alaska Attorney General Kevin Clarkson did not respond to a request for comment from Alaska Public Media.

Eisen declined to comment, citing an ongoing Supreme Court appeal of an earlier ruling.

Alaska's anti drug trafficking team seized 76% more illicit drugs last year compared to the previous year, according to their 2024 annual report.

That included more than 42 million potentially fatal doses of fentanyl.

Captain Cornelius Simms, commander of the Statewide Drug Enforcement Unit, said the increase in drug seizures is due to more anti-trafficking work at airports and with the postal inspection services.

2023 was the deadliest year on record for drug overdoses in Alaska, and unlike the rest of the U.S., the state hasn't seen overdose death rates decline.

In 2023, there were more seizures compared to the previous year, and the overdose death rate still climbed.

But Simms says he's heard reports that seizures are reducing the drug supply, especially in smaller communities.

School districts in Anchorage and Kodiak have decided to close at least one school later this year, while at least four other districts are actively considering or warning residents that looming budget shortfalls, combined with an over a decade of outmigration, may result in school closures or consolidating programs.

The Fairbanks North Star Borough School Board will vote on February 4th whether to close five elementary schools.

Alaska has around 3600 fewer students than it did 25 years ago, and the Fairbanks School District accounts for two thirds of that loss.

Leaders in the Alaska House and Senate say public school funding is a top priority this year.

They're currently weighing a proposal to boost per student spending by more than 30% over three years.

You can find the full version of these and many more stories on our website.

Alaskapublic.org or download the Alaska Public Media app on your phone.

Now onto our discussion for this evening.

Emerging planning and disaster mitigation.

Climate change is fueling more intense storms and disrupting weather patterns, leaving some areas with extreme drought while causing flooding and erosion in others.

The recent devastation from wildfires in California is a reminder of the need to be prepared for natural disasters that can strike at any time.

Fatal landslides in Southeast Alaska over the past decade killed more than a dozen people.

Six of those deaths happened during the landslide in Wrangell that devastated the small town and cut off one of the only roads in the community.

Alaska Public Media's Valerie Lake traveled to Wrangell to talk with residents there about the tragic experience, including student Della Churchill, and brings us this segment from the The Indie Alaska documentary episode In Wrangell, a massive late night landslide on Monday took out three homes along the town's main highway.

In the days since, three people have been found dead.

But search and rescue efforts continue, along with community aid.

Landslides aren't necessarily common.

I've never experienced a landslide.

Until then.

I never even heard about one.

I think it was just because we had so much rain.

A lot of people were hit by it.

Just because we are such a small community.

And then the other small communities in southeast Sitka, Haines, Ketchikan that also suffered the shock from a sudden and fatal devastation.

Recovery takes time and can change people's perceptions of their safety or lack of it in their own homes.

Joining me tonight to discuss how state and tribal emergency managers coordinate to help Alaskans stay safe is Jeremy Zedek.

Jeremy is the public information officer for the state's Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management.

And also on the line from Juneau with us today is Sabrina Grubitz.

Sabrina is the public safety manager for the Central Council of TlingitAnd Haida tribes.

And Jason Wilson is the public safety director for Tlinga and Haida.

Welcome, all of you.

Thanks for having me.

Yeah, thanks for being here, all of you.

So, Jason and Sabrina, I want to start with you.

I get hired as emergency response staff, I believe were first on scene in Wrangell.

We're just looking at the devastation there.

How did you deploy so quickly?

Well, I just want to make sure we're clear.

So we were, in assistance with Wrangell.

But I think there were other responders that were on the ground, before Tlingit and Haida.

Now and speaking with about Haines.

So, Haines, we were pretty fairly quick to be able to respond to the landslide that happened in Haines.

We were fortunate in the respect of, our our partnership with the Coast Guard.

So the Coast Guard had called us up the day after, or the evening of the event itself and said, hey, tomorrow morning, we're sending a Blackhawk to Hans.

We have a seat reserved.

And do you have a staff member that we need to send up?

This was pretty instrumental.

In the respect of our rock had stood up and looking at what can we provide the community for assistance?

But, having that boots on the ground person was able to reassess, what the actual needs were.

And we had it wrong.

We said, okay, we don't need this.

We do need this.

And and I think that was extremely helpful in our response and not bringing the, wrong equipment.

So between the two events, you learned about what might be needed immediately.

And, and, and made those adjustments.

Yes, ma'am.

So, you know, two different, events, first of all, and then the, you know, looking at Wrangell, we were able to assist because they had they had a lot of assistance in respect of personnel and equipment to be able to assist the community, in dealing with the event itself.

However, we were able to come in with, Sabrina was able to go down, and I'm gonna let her speak in a second on it.

But she was able to respond in respect of how do we navigate the FEMA system.

You know, FEMA and FEMA is a extremely awesome organization.

But there's a lot to navigate in, able to get the assistance from FEMA.

So, Sabrina, do you have more to add on to that?

Thank you.

Jason.

You know, being able to provide support to wrangle was truly an honor.

And, specifically with, WCA, with working with their, leadership, we were able to assist them in navigating, a federal declaration for disaster.

And through that process, it allows them to access different services for their, community and citizens.

And Ringle, and so by providing some technical assistance to them, they were able to access needed, services.

Additionally, we were also able to provide, Starlink and provide communication, services to Wrangell at a time when they were not able to communicate on the one side of the road where they were blocked off from the rest of the community.

And, we left the Starlink's in the community for almost a month, while other teams from the area worked to get communication, lifelines up and running again.

Thank you for starting us off.

Jeremy, turning to you, does do you activate the emergency operations center at Jaber for those types of events and and talk about how you stand that up and who's involved in that group?

Yeah.

So the state emergency operation center is on joint base Elmendorf.

Richardson.

It's Alaska National Guard armory.

It's an emergency operation center like you would imagine.

Lots of big screens and computers, telephones.

And it's place where emergency managers can kind of come together when we have large disaster events, we'll bring in folks like the Coast Guard, active duty military, Alaska National Guard, but also the Department of Transportation, Department of Health, Department of Environmental Conservation groups like the Red Cross or Salvation Army, or volunteer organizations active in disaster.

When we get down there and kind of, start to work, that disaster event, depending on what has been impacted.

And our main goal with that is to reach out to the communities and the areas that have been affected and see what resources they need at the local level.

Our communities are very resilient here in Alaska, but these disasters can quickly overwhelm them.

And then they need some additional support.

And that's our role at the State Emergency Operations Center to provide them with those critical, areas of assistance that they need.

And we talked a little bit about Wrangell Wrangell terrible event and that FEMA support came directly to the tribe.

How does that change the dynamics of how you're all working together?

Well, you know, the tribe is this is a new thing that FEMA is doing.

Open up disaster recovery programs to tribes and having them administer them to their population.

We welcome it at the state.

We have a disaster recovery section with disaster recovery programs that we can activate at the state level.

And we're one of the few states in the nation that have both robust programs for rebuilding infrastructure and, helping people rebuild their homes.

But with this change in the way that FEMA is providing aid, we can now see tribal organizations come in.

It really just broadens the the diversity of support that can go to the disaster victims and to the community.

So we really welcome the partnership with the Clinton and Haida tribe and other tribal organizations that we see around the state that are are looking at becoming applicants.

All right.

And back to you, Sabrina and Jason.

Are you growing that relationship with FEMA sort of that direct, support relationship so that maybe assistance can be deployed more quickly?

We've enjoyed we've enjoyed a huge, steps forward in that relationship with FEMA.

I think it goes with FEMA, but it also goes to the left, the state level.

We've enjoyed, the opportunity to grow that relationship with the state, but also at the city levels, and then at the tribal levels, because, although we might be the experts in our area, we also don't go into the community unless we're invited into that community.

So I think I think on that respect, but looking at FEMA, I'm going to say FEMA has been absolutely amazing, to work with, the openness, the willingness to make change.

I think understanding that there are processes within their own system that kind of prohibit, or make it extremely difficult to access services.

And I think their willingness to talk with, I think is a huge step forward.

So we've enjoyed a huge, movement forward with all services.

Well, for all three of you, we know that President Trump has heavily criticized Fima and, and said that maybe it should be dissolved.

Maybe the funds should go directly to the states.

What would you think of something like that?

It seems like having another layer of federal resource seems like it would be helpful, especially for states who may not have a lot of resources in to respond to emergencies.

What are your thoughts about that idea of turning it into maybe a block grant for states?

Well, as I mentioned before, at the state level, we do have disaster recovery programs, and many times a disaster doesn't rise to the level of receiving a federal disaster declaration.

And in those cases, we go it alone.

The governor and the legislature are really, great supporters of our disaster recovery programs.

And so we have the ability to go out and respond to these disasters.

Without that federal assistance.

And if FEMA did move to a block grant kind of format, I think that we're one of the states that are really well positioned to take advantage of that, because we're already doing it.

Not all the other states in the nation have public assistance or individual assistance programs, but we do.

And so I think that we could adapt to that.

One thing is our federal assistance.

It's changed many times over the years.

The rules change how we apply it.

The the dollar amounts that are available to people.

And we've been able to kind of successfully navigate that and make sure that Alaskans are being taken care of during disaster events.

So I think we're well-positioned, whatever changes may come.

All right.

Thank you.

And Jason and Sabrina, your thoughts from a tribal perspective, do you what would you think about that?

Well, without without getting into the political side of things, you know, fame offers a great deal of services.

There's and it's not just in the form of, finances.

You know, the education that FEMA brings to the table is also huge.

I think what I would say to that is, what we're fortunate on is I believe we have a great relationship, like I just mentioned before, both with this with FEMA, that's been established and growing, but we also have a great relationship with the state.

And that's been established and growing.

So I think we're positioned very well.

I, I think that, you know, it poses different challenges.

And I don't know, you know, when you talk about, I can't I just went out on my hand, but like, unforeseen, unknown consequences to decisions, it's kind of hard to look at what kind of negative ness would come out of that.

What kind of positive?

Also, so there's probably both, but I think because of the relationship, I'm talking circles.

But the relationship really is important.

And it goes not just to all the things that I just mentioned with FEMA and the state and the cities.

It really goes to all partners, that we work with.

And having a relationship.

And I think that's the cool thing about emergency preparedness is we all have the common goal.

Sabrina, did I leave anything out on that?

I think that you hit everything, right on the head, Jason.

And, you know, I think it's important to remember that tribes have that government to government relationship.

And so that trust in treaty responsibility, to tribes and the federal government is certainly there.

I think that that's important to highlight that those options should still be made available to tribal governments.

But that's the beauty of being a tribal government.

We have the option and the authority to work on that government to government.

Relationship, if we so choose at that time for that disaster and, or, you know, building these fantastic and strong relationships with the state, it gives us additional options to, again, going back to what Jeremy had mentioned, serve the community, the people, and make sure that they're safe and taken care of during disasters.

Jeremy, we know that climate change is bringing more precipitation.

Warmer, wetter, but it's not uniform.

And so we're seeing unpredictable oil, changes sometimes a lot more drought in areas of southeast that isn't used to drought.

Right.

More precipitation in the Arctic that isn't used to having so much precipitation.

How are you thinking about the future and planning for what types of equipment and training for staff you may need?

When you're looking at the potential of wildfire in a rainforest and permafrost slumping and erosion because of, thawing in the Arctic?

Well, you know, Jason hit upon it that there's a kind of a cascade of consequences.

Once, once you have some type of disaster event and you never really know what the, the, the most critical assistance that you're going to need is going to be after a disaster.

So we really taken all hazards approach to disaster response.

We can't just put all of our eggs in one basket.

Earthquakes are kind of our biggest threat and hazard.

Earthquakes and then tsunamis.

But we don't just prepare for earthquakes and tsunamis.

We have to really have a wide range of abilities so we can respond to any type of disaster event, whatever it may be.

So one of the key parts of that is just to have those strong partnership with the clinic at in high to try, but our other organizations around the state understand what their capabilities are, so we can call upon those organizations that can fulfill those missions during a time of disaster, and then just really keep ourselves flexible enough that we can get out there and accomplish the mission.

And and, Sabrina and Jason, how how are you thinking about those things, the future and the unpredictable weather hazards?

How can you help people be proactive in preparing as much as they can, rather than just reacting when something happens?

Well, I think it goes to, obviously sharing of education.

How do we how do we get that type of information out to our citizens?

You know, I don't in general here.

We just dealt with the flood, making sure what we're looking at, another flood in the future is.

And, you know, it's it's going to happen.

Unfortunate to me.

How do we prepare for that next event?

And educating.

How do we one prepare your personal items?

But how do we prepare your home?

And then what's your plan?

Exit plan?

And then how do we get ready to come back to the home?

Because the danger of a flood is not.

It's it's in the front end, but it's also on the back end, and that's just one event.

But really, I think when we talk about different events in southeast, it's really talking about educating our communities, and our citizens, what small things that they could do prepare to prepare for those events because there are small things at home.

You know, it's mentioned in earthquakes, making sure things are attached to the home, making sure we have water purification systems or access to water.

I think those are some small items, but really, you know, these pictures are amazing, but I don't know that they captured the devastation and how huge those landslides are, that I'm looking at now.

So, I think really, I'll go to education.

Sabrina, that evening.

I did want to ask about, our time is going by quickly here, and I know that you have this important new organizational efforts underway with the city and borough of Juno to develop a multi-jurisdictional hazards plan.

Tell us a little bit about how this came together.

And do you see those types of partnerships rippling out to other communities?

Really want to tackle that one?

Yeah, absolutely.

I certainly hope that in the future we will continue to see a rise and an uptick in, tribal entities working with their local, jurisdiction to create these, multi-jurisdictional plans.

It's extremely important for tribal governments and any local government, really, to have an all hazards plan approved through FEMA so they can access, additional dollars to continue to support and mitigate any issues in their community.

Following the flooding here in Juneau.

You know, we worked very closely, afterwards with the city to think about how we can, support our citizens best.

And at a high level, this was seen as something that we could do together.

It helps us taking account of the hazards we may run into in the future, not only just flooding.

What type of resources we both have in each jurisdiction.

And then later figuring out how we're going to wield those resources together to make the most positive impact in the community.

Jeremy.

Yeah.

In emergency management, we always say that all disasters start and end locally.

And so we we really put an emphasis on communities getting prepared.

And one of those is when local governments and tribal organizations come together and they're they're well equipped to handle the disasters that that come their way.

And then as a state agency, there's a functioning organization on the ground that we can come in and support.

And but beyond just the organizations and the local government that exist in that community, that individual preparedness part where people have taken responsibility for themselves and taken some steps, can make a world of difference during a disaster event.

It makes it so much easier for us to get in and restore that critical infrastructure.

So, preparedness is really a whole community event.

And, it's one of the reasons that we look at what they're doing down in Juneau, with the clinic at in high to thrive and coming together and forming that strong partnership that that's what we need more and more across the state.

And in about a minute, Jeremy, you start us off, and then Sabrina and Jason finish this up.

What are the top few things that people should be thinking about to have ready?

So that they can hopefully stay in place for because there's hazards in trying to leave.

And so what would you want to see people do?

Well, we always say, make a plan, build a kit, be informed and get involved.

So that family emergency plan helps you reunite after a disaster event.

Those emergency kits, allow you to shelter in place in your home.

Has those essential supplies, medications, food and water that you need.

Being informed, knowing what the risks and hazards in your community are and then what the warning signs of these impending disasters may be, and then getting involved.

If you're self-sufficient, you can turn around and really help out your community in some really meaningful ways.

I'm sorry.

We'll have to leave it there.

Thank you so much, Sabrina, Jason and Jeremy for being on with me this evening.

Planning for a disaster may not feel like a comfortable exercise at first.

No one wants to imagine their family experiencing the tragedy of loss from a landslide earthquake or wildfire.

But there is comfort in putting together a solid plan for communication with family and neighbors during emergencies, and having the right kinds of supplies to help you get through an extended power outage, and by having a proper go bag to leave quickly if you must.

That's it for this edition of Alaska Insight, visit our website Alaskapublic.org for breaking news and reports from our partner stations across the state.

While you're there, sign up for our free daily digest so you won't miss any of Alaska's top stories of the day.

Thanks for joining us this evening.

I'm Lori Townsend.

Good night.