Katmai Service Providers Emergency Response Resources

Dear KSP Members,

Over the last few years there have been several emergencies on the coast
where the first and only response has come from either private or
commercial operators. Government agencies like the Katmai National
Park Service and U.S. Coast Guard or Alaska State Troopers are sometimes
hours away in the event of an actual emergency, when an immediate
response in critical.

During an emergency last season, we were called upon enroute and
asked to help in an instance with an airplane flipped and floating
upside-down, with one person in the water. The most obvious thing at
the time was that we were not prepared. We had no plan for communications,
we were unsure who to call to confirm help was on the way, and in
the end we were left to deal with the emergency as best we could on
our own. The outcome could have been disastrous, but fortunately we got
lucky.

This year we would like to compile information to share amongst ourselves,
and provide the information to pertinent government agencies. We feel
this is the first step necessary in establishing a good response plan
in the event that we are on scene in an emergency, before official help
arrives. We would like to request you complete a Katmai Service Providers
Emergency Response Resource Survey.

Please fill out the form and include any extra information or ideas
that you have. We appreciate any input towards the plan. We are
hoping to have this information compiled and ready to present to
the Park Service at their training meeting at Brooks on the 24th of
this month, so your earliest response would be sincerely appreciated.
We hope to see you at the meeting, and that you can take a few minutes
to complete the survey.

Thank You!

Gary Porter
President KSP