I, Tony Knowles, Governor of the State of Alaska, make the following findings concerning emergency management in Alaska:

1. There are numerous natural and human created hazards that can and do affect the people of the State of Alaska, including earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunamis, floods, fire, weather extremes, hazardous materials, transportation accidents, and energy shortages.

2. Individual state agencies need to have sufficient resources and plans to effectively manage the emergencies resulting from these hazards.

3. There is a need to ensure that all state agencies and personnel utilize common terminology, compatible communications, consolidated action plans, unified command, and comprehensive resource management during emergencies or disasters.

4. The Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, Division of Emergency Services (DES), has the responsibility under the Alaska Disaster Act to prepare and maintain a state emergency plan which includes provisions for prompt and effective response to disasters, emergency relief, organization of personnel and chains of command, and preventive and preparedness measures to eliminate or reduce disasters or their impact.

5. It is essential to ensure that all state and local emergency agencies and personnel coordinate their efforts to efficiently and effectively provide emergency response and recovery operations for the people of Alaska.

Under the authority of art. III, Sec. 1 of the Alaska
Constitution and AS 26.23.020, I,
Tony Knowles, Governor of the State of Alaska, hereby order:

1. Adoption of the National Interagency Incident Management System-Incident Command System (NIIMS/ICS) as the state command and control system for emergency response and recovery operations, and that NIMS/ICS be incorporated into all emergency plans for state agencies prepared under state law.

2. Establishment of State Interagency Incident Management Teams and the infrastructure to support them and make them available for emergency response and recovery operations in Alaska.

3. Adoption of the Incident Command System National Training Curriculum (ICS/NTC) as the primary foundation for training state personnel who may be involved in incident response and recovery operations in Alaska. DES shall take the lead in coordinating and achieving this goal and shall encourage federal, local, and private parties involved in incident response and recovery to participate in ICS/NTC.

4. Participation by each state agency with necessary personnel and monetary resources, consistent with state law, to assist DES in developing and executing a statewide emergency management system, including development of the State Interagency Incident Management Teams and supporting infrastructure.

5. Administrative Order No. 135 dated April 26, 1993 is hereby revoked.

This order takes effect immediately.

DATED at Juneau, Alaska, this 17 day of January, 1997.

S/S Tony Knowles     
Tony Knowles         
Governor