On Friday, November 30, at 8:30 a.m. local time, southcentral Alaska experienced a 7.1 magnitude (Richter scale) earthquake. The earthquake’s epicentre was approximately 16 kilometres northeast of the city of Anchorage, home to Teck’s Anchorage office and many Red Dog Operations employees.
We are thankful all employees and contractors in the area at the time of the earthquake were safely accounted for with no injuries. And while there was no major damage at the Anchorage office and operations at Red Dog Mine in northwest Alaska were not impacted, communities close to the epicentre did experience extensive damage.
Within hours of the event, Teck developed a plan to help support employees and contractors with impacted homes or family in the affected areas in southcentral Alaska, including transportation arrangements for two planes full of employees out of Red Dog.
A donation of USD$100,000 was also made to the American Red Cross of Alaska in support of emergency efforts, which included emergency supplies, emergency sheltering, disaster mental health services, damage assessments, recovery casework, and the disaster workforce. Additional donations made by employees across the company through Team Teck Community Giving were also matched up to CAD$25,000.
Following the event, stories of employees who personally supported the relief efforts also came to light, like that of Mark Helms, further reminding us of how much stronger we are when we work together.
In the Spotlight: Mark Helms
Mark Helms, Mine Engineer, Mine Technical Department, Red Dog who lives in Anchorage, Alaska, stepped up and volunteered with the Red Cross Disaster Response team following the earthquake. A co-worker heard about his efforts and nominated him to be highlighted. Thank you Mark for supporting your community and for sharing your story with employees across Teck.
“My R&R [time off-site from Red Dog] began on the Tuesday following the big Anchorage earthquake. I had no major plans and I wanted to be useful, so I put my name in the hat with the American Red Cross as a volunteer.
Mark [right] volunteering with the American Red Cross following the November 30 earthquake in southcentral Alaska.
At their request, I reported to the Anchorage Red Cross office Tuesday morning. They were elated to have a Teck representative join the disaster response effort, as Teck had just made a big donation.
The first day, I assisted in handling several pallets of donated bottled water for distribution among the community. The remainder of the week I helped with damage assessments, an investigative process whereby the families most impacted by the disaster were sought out. My role was to assess the damage to their homes and their situations, then fill out a simple report via a mobile phone app.
This information is then used by the Red Cross to determine how best to allocate donated money for the maximum benefit to the community. The idea is to fill the gap that sometimes exists before state or federal assistance can be provided, focusing on immediate needs.
“In my free time, I enjoy exploring the great outdoors, hanging out with my wee nephews, or ideally both!” says Mark Helms, Mine Engineer, Mine Technical Department, Red Dog
It was very rewarding to be a part of this process. One day, I had a caseworker with me, and we were able to provide a woman residing in Eagle River (arguably one of the hardest hit areas) immediate financial assistance. She burst into tears—she had major damage to her home and had spent the past five days cleaning up the mess. That was just the tip of the iceberg for her in sorting out her home, and she was so grateful for the support. Another couple we came across had been living in a home deemed unsafe by inspectors, but they had nowhere else to go. The Red Cross can now assist these folks in getting temporary housing.
Just as rewarding was meeting the other volunteers and making new friends. I was surprised to learn just how many were from rural parts of Alaska. It gave me an appreciation for how close the community in Alaska really is.”
