AGA TOPICS Newsletter

Alaska Chapter Organizes Forum on Search and Rescue After Loss of Public Official

AGA’s Alaska Capital Chapter is taking on an issue that has deeply touched many in Southeast Alaska: losing someone to the rigors of Alaska’s weather and terrain.

“Alaska is unique in lots of ways,” said Alaska Capital Chapter President, Ruth Danner. “Our towns and villages are surrounded by lush forests, rugged mountains and frigid water. There are no roads in to many places. This means that every time we go out, whether on business or for recreation, there is always a small chance that something will happen and we will not return as expected.”

Danner is correct. Since May 25 of this year the Alaska State Troopers have been involved in 19 search and rescue incidents in Northern Southeast Alaska; seven lost or overdue hikers, four injured hikers requiring assistance, three overdue hunters, three boating-related searches with two men missing and presumed dead, one aircraft fatality with two men deceased, and one missing aircraft not found with two men missing and presumed dead. It was this last one that caught Danner by surprise. It was someone she knew well.

Danner recalled the initial confusion and helplessness that surrounded co-workers in her office, the Alaska Permanent Fund Corporation, and at the Department of Revenue when the deputy commissioner and his 24-year-old son didn’t come home. “Everyone in both of our offices was frantic with worry and desperate to help in the search efforts in some constructive way,” Danner said. “The problem is, what can you do? We’re talking about office workers here … what did we know about getting involved in search and rescue efforts? We didn’t even know what was being done, exactly, let alone who to talk to about what WE could do.”

“It took us a few days to figure it out, but all in all, it was pretty inspiring.” The entire community came together, joining search parties, providing food to volunteers, and offering private aircraft and boats to search by air and water. Co-workers collected money to charter helicopters and float planes. Some volunteered to go along as spotters to search for evidence of wreckage and signs of life. Others provided meals for the family and offered to take the family dog for a walk or run normal errands.

The day after the 12-day search was suspended, Joyce Andrews, wife and mother of the missing men, returned to the office to thank her Alaska Permanent Fund co-workers for their help and support. “Joyce said something to me that sent me down the path we are on today,” Danner said. “With tears in her eyes, she said, ‘I only hope that somehow, something good can come out of all this. If just one family can avoid this experience, and just one more person can come home safe, that’s what I want.’ ”

Next time—and there will be a next time—Danner hopes the community will be better prepared. And to that end, the Alaska Capital Chapter is hosting “The AGA Forum on Survival in Southeast,” on Thursday, Oct. 9, at Centennial Hall from 5:30 until 9 p.m. Danner, who will serve as moderator at the forum, said she wanted to promote the efforts of the “active and inspiring collaboration” of government agencies, volunteer organizations, commercial businesses and others who all too routinely search for those who have gone missing.

Although the “Survival in Southeast” forum is much different than the usual AGA-sponsored event, it fits neatly with AGA’s mission to advance government accountability. “What better way could we think of to advance governmental accountability than to acknowledge the contributions of these committed individuals, and what better way is there to improve their effectiveness than to give them an opportunity to tell us, the public, what we can do to help—help find someone else, help to keep ourselves out of trouble, and help them find us when we are the ones on the ground in a sudden and unexpected situation.”

This event is open to the public at no charge and Danner has reserved the largest facility in town with chairs for 600. Organizing such a big event is somewhat daunting for such a small chapter, which regularly sees about 12 members attend luncheon events. The chapter even considered disbanding last year, but after a Sectional Leadership Meeting last spring, Danner said four chapter leaders got energized. The chapter has focused on a few key goals and members are already seeing success. For example, the chapter is interested in recruiting more early-career professionals to the chapter, and a full-time student is now sitting on the chapter board. A collaboration with the University of Alaska Southeast means the site for this year’s tax training class will be on campus; the chapter is exploring local interest in bringing the series of three government financial management classes to Juneau next summer; they’ve created a study group for the CGFM Examinations; and members will be looking for ways to quantify and promote the value of AGA membership to their division or department heads.

Perhaps the forum will raise awareness among government officials and community members about the chapter’s work. Even though attendees at this AGA event can’t earn CPE hours, get an update on new regulations or hear about the latest developments in the field, they can learn about preparing for the worst from some of the best in the search and rescue business.