Public Safety
RSSPublic safety in Alaska is the network of law enforcement, fire and emergency medical services that protect the state's communities. It covers Alaska State Troopers, municipal and village police, fire departments and village public safety officers.
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Week of Apr 27
House panel advances statewide evacuation alert system
House panel unanimously advanced a bill that would lock in Alaska's three-level color-coded evacuation alert system, green for ready, yellow for nearby danger, red for get out now.
by Alaska News6mo ago2 min read
Mat-Su Emergency Services Certifies 25 Responders in Trench Rescue
Twenty-five Mat-Su emergency responders earned trench rescue certification this week, spreading specialized rescue skills across the borough where collapses happen regularly.
by Alaska News6mo ago2 min read
Commission Approves Explosives Storage Site for Avalanche Control
Anchorage Planning Commission unanimously approved an explosives storage facility near Girdwood for avalanche control, pending Assembly rezone vote May 12.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago3 min read
Alaska moves to standardize wildfire evacuation alerts statewide
Alaska is moving to standardize wildfire evacuation alerts statewide using a three-tier Ready, Set, Go system after confusion during the 2022 Clear Fire left residents uncertain about danger zones.
by Alaska News6mo ago3 min read
Valdez Fire Department Contains Late-Night House Fire on Gulkana Street
Valdez firefighters contained a house fire on Gulkana Street late April 27 with no injuries or damage to nearby homes.
by Alaska News6mo ago1 min readWeek of Apr 20
Kodiak Trooper Uses Surfboard to Rescue Teen from Island Lake Ice
A Kodiak trooper used a surfboard to rescue a hypothermic teenager from Island Lake ice on April 25, paddling across thin ice while a sergeant towed them to shore.
by Alaska News6mo ago2 min readWeek of Apr 13
Two Skiers Rescued After Avalanche Near Turnagain Pass
Two skiers were rescued by helicopter Thursday after an avalanche at Falls Creek Trail near Turnagain Pass, with both sustaining injuries requiring hospital transport.
by Alaska News6mo ago2 min readAssembly Approves Study of Wildfire Service Area for High-Risk Zones
Anchorage Assembly voted to study creating a wildfire service area funded by property taxes on high-risk zones to pay for dedicated fire protection where development meets wildland.
by Alaska Newsadded 6mo ago2 min read
More from Public Safety
Week of Apr 6
House committee advances bill recognizing dispatchers as first responders
House committee advanced a bill to classify emergency dispatchers as first responders, unlocking federal grants for rural Alaska centers.
by Alaska Newsadded 7mo ago2 min read163 Alaskans Wait for Life-Saving Organ Transplants
163 Alaskans await organ transplants, mostly kidneys, while the state lacks transplant programs and forces patients to travel to Washington for surgery.
by Alaska News7mo ago2 min readAlaska parole board grants 85% of recent applications, reversing trend
Alaska's parole board approved 85% of recent discretionary parole applications, reversing years of declining approval rates as prisoner programming improved after COVID disruptions.
by Alaska News7mo ago2 min readComing up
Fairbanks North Star Borough Assembly Regional Emergency Services Advisory Committee
Mona Lisa Drexler Assembly Chambers, Juanita Helms Administration Center, 907 Terminal Street, Fairbanks, AK
Meeting
Public Safety Careers Event
Community event
Alaska Police Standards Council Meeting
Meeting
Basic Handgun Class
Class
Cordova City Council E911 Surcharge Implementation
Public notice
About Public Safety
Public safety in Alaska takes in the law enforcement, fire, emergency medical and rescue services that protect its communities. It includes the Alaska State Troopers, municipal police, village public safety officers, fire departments, and search and rescue by the Coast Guard and the Alaska Air National Guard.
Highway crashes and closures, searches for missing people and boaters, structure fires and rescues in remote villages recur across the state. Local governments decide on police funding, including state grants for units that target impaired driving and street racing, as well as rules for police surveillance and ambulance fees.
Public safety overlaps closely with crime, government and the courts. In rural Alaska, troopers and village public safety officers respond to emergencies in villages, while Coast Guard cutters patrol the Arctic and the Bering Sea.
