National Park Service hosts bear safety training with Skagway Police

Bear training participants including members of the National Park Service, Skagway Police Department, and Alaska Department of Fish and Game preapare for firing range exercises.

NPS photo/K. Rain

News Release Date: October 5, 2016

Contact: Ben Hayes, 907-983-9206

Skagway – Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park hosted bear safety training with members of the Skagway Police Department (SPD) on Friday, September 30. Five park staff along with three SPD police officers and a biologist with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game participated in the eight hour training session last week. The training included a combination of classroom presentations and field activities focusing on working safely in bear country.

The need for collaborative bear training between the National Park Service (NPS) and SPD was identified in July following increased bear activity in the Dyea community and along the Chilkoot Trail. The training included presentations on bear biology and behavior, a review of effective bear management strategies, and hands-on firing range exercises. The training, along with the ongoing collaboration between the NPS, SPD, and Alaska Department of Fish and Game, will help ensure that emergency response personnel are well trained and working together to protect park wildlife and the visiting public in bear country.