Tribal Emergency Management: Preparing Remote and Geographically Isolated Communities
Alaska’s most remote and geographically isolated communities face significant challenges caused by a rapidly changing natural climate and the increasing presence of political outside influences. To prepare our communities for everything from typhoons to unannounced tourists, a coordinated emergency management system can provide a mechanism to protect and preserve local control and, in many cases, tribal sovereignty during natural and human-caused events. This session will examine the creation and implementation of the Inupiat Community of the Arctic Slope’s Department of Emergency Management (ICAS-DEM) and its critical roles and responsibilities in providing emergency management across the 97,000 square miles of the high Arctic.
Presenters:
- Stephanie Nelson – Iñupiat Community of the Arctic Slope
- John Pennington – UAF Center for Arctic Security & Resilience