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Greater Ketchikan Area LEPC
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1. Geographic Location: SOUTHEAST PANHANDLE. The district’s boundaries coincide with those of the
Ketchikan Gateway Borough.
2. Size and activity: DISTRICT-WIDE POPULATION 14,728. Over half live in either of two adjoining
cities, Ketchikan, pop. 8729, or Saxman, pop. 390. Both are coastal communities,
economically dependent predominantly on fishing, seafood processing, logging, and/or
tourism. Schools, government, and transportation industry also provide employment and
subsistence activities supplement income for many families.
3. Communities:
The district has two incorporated communities; Ketchikan, a home rule city and Saxman, a
second class city. They are both political subdivisions within the Ketchikan Gateway
Borough, a second class borough.
4. Hazards Analysis: MODERATE RISK. A manifestation of the existing risk to the district’s
population center will affect over half the district’s people. Its finite emergency
response resources, most of which belong to the City of Ketchikan, will require
augmentation to respond to a major disaster. Wild land/urban interface fires could be of
some threat. Community water systems rely on frequent rainfall. Thus, if drought were to
occur, it could severely reduce fire fighting capability risking life safety. It might
also force water use restrictions and become both a health and economic concern. Both
communities are subject to earthquakes, and tsunami and storm driven sea surges. The area
airport is on Gravina Island across the Tongass Narrows from both communities. They are
thus accessible only by floatplane or boat, complicating outside response. Parts of the
major thoroughfare, Tongass Avenue, are built on over-water pilings. A seismic event or
waterfront fire could easily severe the only transportation route for emergency
responders. The Ketchikan Pulp Corporation mill closing in March 1997, has significantly
reduced the extreme hazard substance (EHS) threat. However, chlorine gas and anhydrous ammonia are still present in
amounts greater than threshold planning quantities. Unknown quantities of
EHS transit the
district by ship, bound for southeast Alaska ports, interior Alaska and Canada.
5. Staffing: VOLUNTEER
6. Status of the Emergency Planning Process:
| Emergency Operations
Plan |
Yes |
| Initial Hazard
Analysis |
Yes |
| Hazardous Materials
Annex to EOP |
Yes |
7. Plan
focus: All Hazards
8.
LEPC Grant Awards: SFY 2008
| Baseline Grant of |
$20,180.00 |
| Special Project
Grant of |
$0.00 |
9. Government/Industry Support or Matches: LOCAL GOVERNMENT SUPPORT. The Ketchikan Gateway Borough manages
the LEPC grant, and the Borough and the City of Ketchikan both donate some time of their
paid employees and provide facilities for planning meetings and office space.
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