The Local Emergency Planning Committee meets regularly to talk about what could happen and how responders will react. They regularly revise their detailed Emergency Operations Plan that addresses catastrophes that could happen here.
Ketchikan has been largely spared the natural catastrophes that have impacted some other Southeast communities. Five people died this fall in a landslide in Wrangell. There have been other casualties in recent years from slides in Sitka and Haines.
Last weekend, the Juneau Emergency Response Team warned of the possibilities of multiple avalanches after an historic snow storm created a danger on steep mountain sides.
South End Fire Chief Steve Rydeen also chairs the LEPC. He talked about emergency response on Morning Edition Wednesday, January 31.
