Anchorage had no ALS ambulance available about 70 times last year

Anchorage residents called 911 roughly 70 times in 2024 and found no advanced life support ambulance available. More than 315 times, no basic life support unit was available either.

Those figures come from the Anchorage Fire Department's six-year capital plan, which asks for $51.2 million in bonds.

The department wants a new advanced life support ambulance stationed in Midtown, at $1.58 million and seven new full-time positions. The rest of the money covers replacing ambulances, alternate response vehicles, heavy rescue units and radios, along with station work: $11 million to rebuild Station 12, $8 million for Station 11 in Eagle River, and $8 million for a new Station 16.

One line item is smaller and more immediate. The well at Station 10 is still non-potable from bacterial contamination, and the plan sets aside $100,000 to fix it.