What would you do if Unalaska were cut off from supplies or communication after a disaster?  Where would you go? 

Those are some of the questions that Kelly McGuirk is going to tackle in two disaster training courses this weekend. McGuirk is Director of Disaster Services for the Red Cross of Alaska.  She says it’s important for communities to think about these questions in advance. 

"I think that a lot of communities in Alaska are pretty resilient and can kind of take care of their own a little more than the lower 48, but the skills you learn in a shelter class or in the basic disaster services overview prepare you for the different issues that come up."

McGuirk offered a few examples of those issues.

 “What if one of the barracks at the fish processing plant caught on fire?  What would you do with all of those people?”

City Operations and Facilities Manager Ben Bolock took the class two years ago.  He says it opened his eyes to how remote Unalaska is and how many variables are involved in responding to a disaster.

"You have a line of people and you say, 'what do I do with them?'  You need cots for them, where do you get the cots? How many do you need?  People with special needs?  People with pets, people bring their pets, what do you do with the pets?  How do you feed 40 people?  What are the regulations to feed 40 people?  Who knows those regulations?  It's finding out all those details and putting them together and knowing that before a disaster actually happens."

The courses are being offered in preparation for a large disaster simulation in early February.  Bolock says that drill is going to be the real deal, complete with an overnight shelter and people acting as disaster victims.

"We're going to actually try to have families with young kids there, and hold up to at least 40 community members."

Red Cross’ McGuirk says the event will focus on dealing with cold weather emergencies and supply shortages.

Volunteers don’t have to take this weekend’s classes in order to participate in the drill, but McGuirk says it would definitely help.

Friday's Intro to Disaster Services class starts at 6 pm at Public Safety.  Saturday's Shelter Operations and Simulation class starts at 10 am, also at Public Safety.  For more information or to sign up, you call the community center at 581-1297.