EHL and Mt. Spurr Prep (4/14/25)

As many of you know, the Mt. Spurr volcano has been showing signs of unrest since October 2024. However, public attention and media coverage increased in late March when the chance of an eruption within the next few months became more likely.

We want to assure you that this is a developing situation, and it is being closely monitored. As we get closer to a possible eruption, more warning signs are expected to appear.

We also want you to know that the Environmental Health Laboratory (EHL) has a response plan in place. While we do expect potential impacts, the extent and duration of any disruptions are still uncertain. This will depend on several factors, including the length of the eruption, weather conditions, the amount of ash, and how it may affect transportation by air or road.

Key parts of our response plan include:

Shutting down systems like air handlers to prevent ash from entering the building
Covering ventilation systems, exposed pumps, and motors
Protecting sensitive equipment inside the lab
Taking precautions with state vehicles, including replacing air filters
Setting up tubs to clean shoes and reduce ash being tracked indoors

We also have a staff member assigned to respond to building and security alarms at all times. This person is trained to care for lab mice, if the assigned weekend technician is unavailable. In case of eruption outside business hours, we can also activate additional staff, who graciously volunteered their availability, to help with the response and complete tasks that require more than one person.

During our response, when equipment is shut down and covered, some laboratory testing may be temporarily unavailable. We will do our best to reduce the impact and keep you informed. Updates will be sent by email once the facility and equipment are secured.

Thank you for your patience and understanding during this unique situation. As always, we are here to help with any questions you may have about sample collection, submission forms, packaging, temperature requirements, shipping, or tracking.

Please feel free to reach out to us at DEC.EH-Lab-ShippingReceiving@alaska.gov or 907-375-8231 for assistance or to share your sampling plans and shipping details.

Regards,

Patryce D. McKinney, MBA

Chief, Environmental Health Laboratory