An influx of visitors will be arriving in Cordova to participate in Alaska Shield 2019, a statewide preparedness drill running from April 7-12.
On March 30, an ammonia training, led by Scott Melton and Will Grass from the international nonprofit Ammonia Safety and Training Institute, took place at Odiak Camper Park in Cordova.
The training featured live demonstrations with ammonia, to educate and train employees from canneries, the Cordova Police Department, Cordova Volunteer Fire Department and members of the Department of Environmental Conservation from Anchorage, Kenai and Juneau.
“I’m really excited to see that Cordova has brought this into their community,” said Megan Kohler, a DEC employee from Anchorage.
The training featured a tent where participants could stand inside and be exposed to safely monitored, low levels of ammonia.
Upon entering, Melton explained what to do if they are in a situation where breathing becomes compromised due to the ammonia. He then had everyone place a wet cloth over their nose and mouth to help show its effectiveness.
The training also featured live demonstrations on how to stop an ammonia leak from spreading and how to safely retrieve someone from an area affected by ammonia with use of a ventilation fan.
The five-day Alaska Shield drill begins next week, with participants including local residents, Cordova Prepared, CPD and CVFD. The drill is run by the Alaska Division of Homeland Security and is completed every three years throughout the state in communities who want to participate.
Those interested in volunteering should contact Jessica Smyke at 907-429-3675 or email her at jessicasmyke@gmail.com.
Cordova Prepared is a “community-oriented emergency preparedness campaign designed to connect, educate and inform Cordova in an effort to learn, grow and recover from and build resilience to potential disasters and challenges” the community may face.
For updates on local emergency information, public outreach materials, local training and volunteer opportunities and more, visit their Facebook page, Cordova Prepared.
