Anchorage's rewritten emergency plan adds six annexes, voids all earlier versions

Anchorage's disaster response has run since June on a rewritten emergency plan that cancels every earlier version. Mayor Suzanne LaFrance signed it June 22. The Assembly receives it Tuesday for information, not a vote.

The plan directs how the municipality prepares for, responds to and recovers from disasters, and replaces any emergency operations plan that came before it. State law requires every borough and city to keep one, spelling out what each local agency and official is responsible for.

LaFrance wrote that the plan "brings us into compliance with national accreditation standards in several areas of emergency management" and satisfies the federal incident command framework local governments are expected to follow.

The memorandum to the Assembly links the rewrite to Anchorage's five declared local emergencies since 2018, though it does not say that record prompted the update. It describes a substantial review. The plan's own change log lists 34 dated entries made between June 2024 and June 2026, several citing national accreditation standards.

The update added six annexes: agriculture and natural resources, critical infrastructure, food and water, volunteers, prevention and resource management. Its hazard appendices now run through volcano and wildfire.

Three hazards are not in it yet. The plan says tsunamis, communicable diseases and air pollution will be added in the next update.

The signed plan is posted on the Office of Emergency Management's website.