Post by hanabanana on Aug 31, 2012 21:27:05 GMT 1
www.businessweek.com/ap/2012-08-29/remote-alaska-to-stockpile-food-just-in-case
Alaska to stockpile food, just in case (Corrected link from yesterday) - Alaska is known for self-reliant residents who are accustomed to remote locations and harsh weather. Despite that, the Governor worries that a major earthquake or volcanic eruption could leave the state's 720,000 residents stranded and cut off from food and supply lines. His answer: Build giant warehouses full of emergency food and supplies, just in case.
For some in the lower 48, it may seem like an extreme step. But unlike the rest of the lower 48, help isn't a few miles away. When a fall storm cut off Nome from its final fuel supply last winter, a Russian tanker spent weeks breaking through thick ice to reach the remote town. Weather isn't the only thing that can wreak havoc in Alaska, where small planes are a preferred mode of transportation and the drive from Seattle to Juneau requires a ferry ride and 38 hours in a car.
The state's worst natural disaster was in 1964, when a magnitude-9.2 earthquake and resulting tsunami killed 131 people and disrupted electrical systems, water mains and communication lines in Anchorage and other cities. The state plans two food stockpiles in or near Fairbanks and Anchorage, two cities that also have military bases. Construction on the two storage facilities will begin this fall, and the first food deliveries are targeted for December. The goal is to have enough food to feed 40,000 people for up to a week, including three days of ready-to-eat meals and four days of bulk food that can be prepared and cooked for large groups. Alaska's largest city, Anchorage, has about 295,000 people, and Juneau, its third largest, about 31,000.
An estimated 90 percent of commodities entering Alaska are delivered through the Port of Anchorage. Air service is also a critical link to the outside world and generally the only way to reach many rural communities. A volcanic blast emitting a large amount of smoke and ash could disrupt supply lines by air and water for an extended period, and an earthquake could knock out airport runways or ports. Those are just some of the disasters that might require emergency supplies.
State officials have been working to encourage individual responsibility, with talks at schools and public gatherings. A statewide disaster drill is planned for October. Over the past year, the state has acquired or purchased water purification units and generators designed to work in cold climates, including units that could power facilities like hospitals.
Delivery of the food stockpiles would be staggered over three years. It would be replaced after it's used or expired, and it's entirely possible that much of the food will never be needed. It is not clear what the state will do with the expired, unused food. The project has a budget of around $4 million and hasn't generated any real controversy.
Alaska to stockpile food, just in case (Corrected link from yesterday) - Alaska is known for self-reliant residents who are accustomed to remote locations and harsh weather. Despite that, the Governor worries that a major earthquake or volcanic eruption could leave the state's 720,000 residents stranded and cut off from food and supply lines. His answer: Build giant warehouses full of emergency food and supplies, just in case.
For some in the lower 48, it may seem like an extreme step. But unlike the rest of the lower 48, help isn't a few miles away. When a fall storm cut off Nome from its final fuel supply last winter, a Russian tanker spent weeks breaking through thick ice to reach the remote town. Weather isn't the only thing that can wreak havoc in Alaska, where small planes are a preferred mode of transportation and the drive from Seattle to Juneau requires a ferry ride and 38 hours in a car.
The state's worst natural disaster was in 1964, when a magnitude-9.2 earthquake and resulting tsunami killed 131 people and disrupted electrical systems, water mains and communication lines in Anchorage and other cities. The state plans two food stockpiles in or near Fairbanks and Anchorage, two cities that also have military bases. Construction on the two storage facilities will begin this fall, and the first food deliveries are targeted for December. The goal is to have enough food to feed 40,000 people for up to a week, including three days of ready-to-eat meals and four days of bulk food that can be prepared and cooked for large groups. Alaska's largest city, Anchorage, has about 295,000 people, and Juneau, its third largest, about 31,000.
An estimated 90 percent of commodities entering Alaska are delivered through the Port of Anchorage. Air service is also a critical link to the outside world and generally the only way to reach many rural communities. A volcanic blast emitting a large amount of smoke and ash could disrupt supply lines by air and water for an extended period, and an earthquake could knock out airport runways or ports. Those are just some of the disasters that might require emergency supplies.
State officials have been working to encourage individual responsibility, with talks at schools and public gatherings. A statewide disaster drill is planned for October. Over the past year, the state has acquired or purchased water purification units and generators designed to work in cold climates, including units that could power facilities like hospitals.
Delivery of the food stockpiles would be staggered over three years. It would be replaced after it's used or expired, and it's entirely possible that much of the food will never be needed. It is not clear what the state will do with the expired, unused food. The project has a budget of around $4 million and hasn't generated any real controversy.