00Enrolled SCR 4                                                                                                          
01 Relating to Avalanche Awareness Month.                                                                                  
02                                         _______________                                                                 
03 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                             
04      WHEREAS Alaskans live, work, and play in and on the edge of the wilderness; and                                  
05      WHEREAS Alaskans spend twice as much time enjoying the abundance and variety                                     
06 of Alaska's winter recreational opportunities as most other Americans spend in winter                                   
07 recreational activities; and                                                                                            
08      WHEREAS many of the state's popular winter recreation areas are subject to                                       
09 avalanche danger; and                                                                                                   
10      WHEREAS many Alaskans are not properly educated or equipped to recognize and                                     
11 respond to avalanches; and                                                                                              
12      WHEREAS Alaska has the highest avalanche death rate per capita in the nation; over                               
13 Alaskans have died in Alaska avalanches since 1968, and 28 have perished since 1999; and                                
14      WHEREAS education on the recognition of avalanche risks, response to avalanches,                                 
15 and the use of appropriate equipment could reduce avalanche-related tragedies that create                               
16 undue hardships and great personal loss for families and communities;                                                   

01      BE IT RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature proclaims the month of                                          
02 November as Avalanche Awareness Month; and be it                                                                        
03      FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature urges schools, community                                      
04 groups, and other public and private agencies and individuals to observe Avalanche                                      
05 Awareness Month with appropriate activities that increase the public's awareness of avalanche                           
06 dangers, how to respond to avalanches, and the use of appropriate equipment in avalanche                                
07 areas.                                                                                                                  
08      COPIES of this resolution shall be sent to the Honorable Frank Murkowski,                                        
09 Governor; to Aedene Arthur, Backcountry Avalanche Awareness and Response Team; to                                       
10 Doug Fesler and Jill Fredston, co-directors, The Alaska Mountain Safety Center, Inc.; to Bill                           
11 Glude, Southeast Alaska Avalanche Center; to the Honorable William Tandeske,                                            
12 Commissioner, Department of Public Safety; to the director, Division of Alaska State                                    
13 Troopers, Alaska Department of Public Safety; to the mayors, chiefs of police, and fire chiefs                          
14 of the Municipality of Anchorage, Fairbanks North Star Borough, Denali Borough, Haines                                  
15 Borough, City and Borough of Juneau, Ketchikan Gateway Borough, Matanuska-Susitna                                       
16 Borough, City and Borough of Sitka, City of Cordova, City of Fairbanks, City of Palmer, City                            
17 of Petersburg, City of Seward, City of Skagway, City of Valdez, and City of Wasilla; to the                             
18 operators of the ski areas at Eaglecrest, Alyeska, Alpenglow, Hilltop, Moose Mountain, Ski                              
19 Land, Birch Hill, and Cordova Ski Hill; to the operators of the Alaska Trail Blazers, Inc.; and                         
20 to legislative communication offices for statewide distribution.