Blog

On March 20th, members of PMIAK gathered at the GCI Base Camp building for a monthly membership meeting. This month's meeting held particular significance as this month marks the 60th anniversary of the great Alaska earthquake of 1964. This seismic event serves as a poignant reminder of the importance of preparedness and resilience in the face of natural disasters.

PMIAK President Jon McVay kicked off the meeting with an insightful overview of the chapter's membership breakdown by industry. Following this, attendees had the privilege of hearing from Rob Witter of the US Geological Survey (USGS) whose research delves into the complexities of past earthquakes and tsunamis, providing insights that inform seismic and tsunami hazard assessment. Rob’s presentation imparted a comprehensive overview of earthquakes focusing on the 1964 Alaska earthquake and the 2018 earthquake. Rob educated the group on what to do when the next one hits, and how we can all participate in data collection by reporting quakes to the USGS Did You Feel It? (DYFI) program.

We sincerely thank Rob Witter for sharing his expertise and insights with PMIAK members. We also extend a special thank you to GCI for graciously hosting the meeting at its Base Camp facility and to the Business Improvement Group (BIG) for generously sponsoring this month's door prizes. We are appreciative of the ongoing support of PMIAK's mission to promote project management excellence in Alaska. As we reflect on the lessons learned from this meeting, let’s recommit ourselves to the principles of preparedness, resilience, and community engagement in the face of future challenges.