Module 5.
Community and Personal Responsibility to address safety hazards and risks on Adak.
Content to be Covered:
This unit explores the responsibility of the Navy, the city and state government, the community and our own personal responsibility for our safety while living on and visiting Adak.
Objectives:
- To assist students in understanding how the Navy, their state agencies, their elected city officials, community leaders, teachers and others authorities work to protect them from Munitions on Adak.
- To emphasize that each individual has a personal responsibility to protect themselves and others on Adak
Teacher's Guide:
While teaching this unit, teachers can emphasize that while many adults work very hard to protect Adak children from the danger from Munitions or dangerous chemicals, everyone who lives on Adak has a personal responsibility to take care of and protect themselves and each other from any known dangerous areas or items.
The following gives a brief outline of the responsibilities of agencies and government institutions overseeing the clean up of Adak.
The Navy:
The Navy's responsibility on Adak is to address and respond to all Munitions finds now and at any time in the future. They are also responsible for clean up of any remaining contamination resulting from past military activity. The Navy is also responsible for providing training that insures the safety of any of its contractors working on Adak.
The Environmental Protection Agency and the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation:
The EPA and ADEC regulations describe how cleanup at Adak is to be conducted. When working in areas that have been designated for clean up, the mandate of these federal and state oversight agencies is to protect human health and the environment.
The Individual:
Each of us has a responsibility to educate ourselves about the dangers of Munitions and any remaining contaminants on the island. If we have questions about the danger of Munitions on Adak, each of us has the responsibility to ask a parent, teacher or any authority to find out the answers. Each of us also has a responsibility to share with each other the knowledge we have about Munitions in the hope of educating each other about Munitions and possibly protecting them from a dangerous situation.
Enrichments and Extensions:
Students can interview many of the clean up personnel that reside on Adak to learn about the training they must attend before working on Adak. Students will find that while many of the workers superiors are responsible for their safety, it is also of utmost importance to each one of them to be very careful while living and working and playing on Adak. Interviews will most likely convey to the students the need for them to be alert, attentive and responsible during their activities on Adak.
Children can be encouraged to identify activities they are involved with on Adak. The list can include items such as: hiking, hunting, boating, skiing, fishing, berry picking, four wheeling etc. Together, the children can brainstorm the development of a list under each topic which identifies things they will need to think about and be responsible for while engaging in each activity. The teacher can then make these checklists available to each student to take home and use prior to any outdoor activity.
Safety Checklist Template:
Name:
Date:
Where are you going?
How long do you plan to stay?
Who is going with you?
Who have you told of your plans?
Do you have?
- food
- water
- warm weather gear
- compass and map
- flashlight
- matches
- life jacket (if on the water)
- tent and sleeping bag in case of foul weather
Resources:
- Adak Community Safety Plan: URS Corporation Publication
- Historic Brochure of Adak: URS Corporation Publication
- Fish and Wildlife Map: U. S. Fish and Wildlife, Adak Office
(This resource displays the latest version of combat ranges and impact ranges superimposed on hiking trails on Adak.)
- EPA Website for Students and Teachers:
www.epa.gov/enviroed/
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