The U.S. Coast Guard is gearing up for a busy summer in the Arctic.
In preparation for the voyage of the Crystal Serenity, a 1,000-passenger cruise ship set to sail through the Northwest Passage this summer, the Coast Guard has been hosting search and rescue drills, tabletop exercises, and meeting with communities along Alaska's coast.
A contingent of Coast Guard officials visited Nome Monday. Rear Adm. Dan Abel, commander of the Coast Guard's 17th District which covers Alaska, led a meeting at Old St. Joe's community hall.
"Clearly Nome is a hub and we need to make sure we enfranchise what's important to Nome with a plan," Abel said.
The Coast Guard contingent heard comments from Nome's Mayor Richard Beneville, City Manager Tom Moran, along with business and non-profit representatives.
Both sides agreed activity in the Arctic isn't slowing down.
"What is happening here in the far north is the opening of the Arctic," said Beneville. He and others at the meeting often referred to the Arctic as a 'new ocean.'
Nome and others along Alaska's coast will see a bump in visitors and summer revenue from ships like the Crystal Serenity, but there is concern about the region's ability to deal with a potential disaster at sea.
Tom Vayden chairs the Local Emergency Planning Committee.
"I think it's very important that the major players remember that Nome is here with a lot of resources and that we can be on the ground first and help," Vayden said.
He urged better communication between the Coast Guard and coastal communities like Nome.
The Coast Guard and the Department of Defense are scheduled to host the Arctic Chinook Drill in late August, just days after the Crystal Serenity passes through Nome's port.
This article originally appeared on KNOM Radio Mission, a Nome-based radio station sharing stories from around Western Alaska. It is republished here with permission.?