Alaska Shield 2019 is sponsored by the Alaska Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, with a grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency. Representatives from local, state, federal, tribal, non-governmental and private sector organizations participated in the exercise.

As stated in the Alaska Shield 2019 Exercise Plan, the overall purpose of the exercise was to, “Capitalize on lessons learned and further refine prevention, protection, response and recovery partnerships in response to a homeland security event.  Utilize the whole community approach to evaluate current response plans and capabilities.”   

For the NOAA communications component, Amy Holman (in Alaska) remotely led Seattle-based communicators Marjorie Mooney-Seus of the Alaska Fisheries Science Center; Crescent Moegling of the Office of Coast Survey; Vicki Loe of the Office of Response and Restoration; and Juneau based NMFS Alaska Region PIO Julie Speegle in a four-hour session, developing hypothetical actions including responses to injects and crafting an initial press release and social media. The group determined when and who to contact (had this been a real emergency) in NOAA leadership as well as involving the NOAA headquarters communications team in Washington, D.C.

Amy and her team will regroup for a call to discuss how well the NOAA regional group did in the initial stage of the hypothetical disaster.

For further information, contact Vicki.Loe@noaa.gov.

Return to OR&R Weekly Report.