|

Sitka LEPC
Home / Up
1. Geographic location:
SOUTHEAST PANHANDLE. The district's boundaries coincide with those of the City
and
Borough of Sitka to include Port Alexander. The city center is 95 air miles
southwest of Juneau and 185 miles northwest of Ketchikan. The Municipality
encompasses the southern half of Chichagof Island, all of Baranof Island except
the lesser offshore islands.
2. Size and Activity: DISTRICT-WIDE POPULATION 8,632. Sitka's
economy is diverse with fishing, seafood processing, tourism, government,
transportation, retail, and health services. It is a port of call for many
cruise ships each summer.
3. Communities:
The district is a unified home rule municipality and includes the communities of
Sitka, Baranof Warm Springs, Port Walter, Port Alexander, and Port Armstrong on
Baranof Island.
4. Hazards Analysis:
MODERATE RISK. A manifestation of the existing risk to the district's population
center will affect the majority of the district's people. Its finite emergency
response resources will require augmentation to respond to a major disaster. The
district is subject to earthquakes, and tsunami and storm driven sea surges. The
area airport is on the water on Japonski Island across the Sitka Channel from
the city center. The O'Connell Bridge provides access. A seismic event could
weaken or destroy the bridge, as well as deteriorate the runway complicating
outside response. There are two facilities on the Sitka Channel that have a
capacity of over seven million gallons of petroleum and are filled by barges
creating a risk of spill in the channel. The Alaska Pulp Corporation mill
closing in 1993 significantly reduced the extreme hazardous substance (EHS) threat. However, chlorine gas and
anhydrous ammonia are still present in amounts greater than threshold planning
quantities. Unknown quantities of EHSs pass by the district in ships, bound for
Southeast Alaska ports, interior Alaska and Canada. Wild land/urban interface
fires are a small threat. 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.
5. Staffing: Volunteer and part time paid. Secretarial functions
are contracted
6. Status
of 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 |
$15,135.00 |
| Special Project
Grant of |
$0.00 |
10.
Government/Industry Support
or Matches:
The City and Borough of Sitka manages the LEPC grant, donates some time of their
paid employees and provides facilities for planning meetings and office space.
|