This change does not alter how people in the affected areas should reach out for emergency services, with 911 still being the way to get in touch with emergency dispatch.
FAIRBANKS, Alaska - On July 1, a contract between the City of Fairbanks and the Fairbanks North Star Borough is set to expire without renewal. Under the contract, the Fairbanks Fire Department provides Emergency Medical Service to two borough areas not within the city limits.
One of the areas include the Secluded Acres Subdivision, with access through Fort Wainwright. The area has a population of 154, and will now be served by the Fort Wainwright Fire Department. According to Luke Butcher, FNSB Emergency Operations Director, with this change, “We’re able to provide a faster service at less cost.” The other area runs south from Van Horn Road down to the Tanana River, between Fort Wainwright land to the east and Lathrop Street to the west. All told, 361 people and a number of businesses occupy this section, which will now be served by the University Fire Department. According to Butcher, the city asked for $57,000 for next fiscal year’s contract, up from $5,700 for the current fiscal year. “The amount of money that the city wanted to be able to provide the service was a massive increase from years previous.” That is when his department began to talk with the borough mayor’s office about letting the contract lapse. “They were pretty firm on their number, and that’s just something that in our current tax and income situation with the borough, we’re not able to sustain.” Fairbanks Fire Chief Andrew Coccaro disputes that number, saying to his knowledge, the City never asked for more than $10,000 for the EMS contract. “We were willing to go status quo, which would have been the same price as it currently is, and we were willing to negotiate beyond that point, if they felt that there was a financial impact even from that level,” he said.And finally, at the beginning of May, the city was officially notified of the decision. “I didn’t really see that change coming. We’ve had that relationship for a very long time, and I was disappointed and, like I said, shocked that it had changed like it had so drastically with the level of services we’ve been providing out there for so long,” said Coccaro. In recent weeks, FFD has worked to notify residents of the change. “I feel like we owe that to the citizens. Even though they don’t live within the city, they’ve had city services through contract for a long time,” the Fire Chief explained. Butcher assures the residents of the affected area that University Fire is able to send EMS services out in under 14 minutes, within the guidelines set out by the Regional Emergency Services Advisory Committee. “If the city is having to stack EMS calls and is struggling with staffing and all those things, it seems wise for us to be putting that effort into departments that are staffed and able to meet that standard,” he said. Coccaro, on the other hand, said the average response time from the City Fire Department to contracted areas was 7 minutes and 45 seconds.This change does not alter how people in the affected areas should reach out for emergency services, with 911 still being the way to get in touch with emergency dispatch. The contract expiration also affects fire service to the borough Solid Waste Facility on Sanduri Street, with the University Fire Department also taking on fire response at that location.‘Master manipulator’: Sister of man accused of killing mother, 4-year-old child speaks out following tragedy
Fairbanks North Star Borough City Of Fairbanks Emergency Medical Service Contract Emergency Operations
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Outgoing mayor’s ‘most challenging’ budget passes FNSB AssemblyAnimal shelter and education funding kept the spotlight, but ongoing new challenges cropped up with labor negotiations ongoing.
Read more »
Workshopped ordinance would adjust FNSB animal care codeThe borough's Animal Control Commission recommended adoption to the assembly, but not without some reservations.
Read more »
Portions of I-17 and Loop 101 will be closed during the June 7 weekendHere's a breakdown of all the closures and detours on Valley roads for June 7 weekend.
Read more »
TRAFFIC ALERT: Portions of Interstate 10 will be closed at Loop 1604 this weekendDrivers will have to navigate another round of major construction closures on the far Northwest Side this weekend.
Read more »
FNSB seeks funding allocation from assembly for tax software upgradeAccording to Mayor Bryce Ward, the decision was made last summer to terminate the original contract for the project due to multiple missed deadlines.
Read more »
Fairbanks area education funding quarrels continue with federal hearingFNSBSD School Board member Bobby Burgess spoke to the FNSB Assembly Thursday night.
Read more »