Following the November 30th Anchorage area 7.0 magnitude earthquake, my first thought was the safety of my family, fellow staff, friends, and my community. I assumed there would be casualties and the damage to homes and buildings would be severe. I was relieved that my family and staff were unharmed, yet shaken. Upon subsequent news reports, I was shocked that there were no causalities. Additionally, while there was infrastructure damages, there were no catastrophic failures. This is a testament to Alaska design professionals and the design standards we promote and follow. The days following the earthquake were marked by a response from the design community that unselfishly dedicated their personal time and resources to assess the damage and recommend solutions for repair. I am truly proud to be a part of the design community – we do make a difference.
Alaska Professional Design Council 