From The Department
Our members work very hard to keep our department organized updated and ready to respond 24/7 with our efforts to inform and serve our citizens. In these difficult and changing economic times, we work to be efficient and cost conscious while providing the highest level
of service to those we serve. Within these constraints, we strive to be professional and progressive to better meet the needs of our customers. We greatly appreciate your support and friendship and I look forward to any comments and suggestions on how we might improve our Website and our service to you.
Many thanks,
Rob Weathers , Chief
Hot topics
New subscription fire service contains Salcha blaze 2/8/12
Newsminer story FAIRBANKS — The Salcha Fire and Rescue Department confined a fire last week to the rafters of a home thanks to help from residents and neighbors equipped with handheld fire extinguishers.
The fire was one of the first for a new subscription-based fire protection service offered by Salcha Fire and Rescue. The volunteer department launched the service last year and has about 250 subscribers, Weathers said. Subscriptions cost $150 per home. The house fire was reported about 9 a.m. Feb. 1 in a home at 6725 Richardson Highway, about two and a half miles south of Eielson Air Force Base, said Fire Chief Rob Weathers. Smoke was coming out of the eaves of the home when firefighters arrived, but the residents had been keeping it down, he said. The source of the fire was a wood stove chimney, Weathers said.
Salcha Fire and Rescue starts basic exterior fire fighting service!
We want to make sure you are aware of an alternative opportunity to have fire service for your property. You should be aware that the petition effort to form a Fairbanks North Star Borough Fire Service Area failed for the third time in 2009. The most glaring reason for the failure was an overwhelming aversion to the anticipated increase in property taxes required to support a classic fire service area. Since then, Salcha Fire and Rescue (SFR) has explored alternatives for our community and is offering rural fire service to private property by subsciption. This is a typical type of service for newly formed Volunteer Fire Departments in rural areas, such as ours. Our Fire Department is modeled after a successful subscription fire service in Chikaloon, a rural community similar to ours near Palmer, Alaska. This is not a FNSB or governmental program. It is managed by SFR, a non-profit corporation that has successfully provided award-winning EMS service to this community since 1982. Our subscribers are supporters of our community fire department and share the operating expenses with an annual subscription cost of $150 per residence, which goes directly to fire department operations and support. In return, we will provide a volunteer fire response to their private property on-call. We have limited resources. We cannot afford, and hence do not provide free firefighting response to private property of those who are not subscribers. You will be billed at a higher rate than our supporters. Subscription is available to anyone with property in the Salcha-Harding Lake-Birch Lake areas. The subscription year is 1 July 2011-30 June 2012. You should know that we are a registered fire department with the State of Alaska, we have 2 fire trucks, are trained volunteer firefighters, and have a mutual aid agreement with an adjacent Fire Department to help us out. You should know that as a new department, our firefighters will be initially certified for exterior firefighting operations, and we will rely on our mutual aid partners should we need interior operations. As we gain experience, additional training and equipment over the coming year, we plan to have a cadre of interior certified firefighters in our own department. We will apply for an ISO rating for our department on 1 July and will be ready for an evaluation based on their scheduling constraints. A favorable ISO rating has historically resulted in Fire Insurance discounts, if you use an insurance company that uses ISO rating as part of their premium calculation. If you need more information, call us at 488-5274. ****This is NOT an FNSB fire service area, like other areas in our Borough. Thanks for your support!
Spring Flash Flood Awareness
Low-lying areas of the Salcha community near the Salcha and Tanana Rivers, and especially the Piledriver Slough Area, routinely are subjected to flooding conditions. Flooding during break-up is typically caused by ice dams that form when huge chunks of melting river ice pile up and cause the river to overflow it's banks. Flooding has also been caused by heavy, prolonged summer rains. Read more…
smoke and co detectors
Smoke alarms let us know that there may be a fire in our home and that we must get out quickly!
Salcha Fire and Rescue Department wants to remind everyone how important it is to have working smoke alarms on every level of your home. Remember when you change your clocks to change your smoke alarm batteries, every six months. Smoke alarms that have been pulled off the wall or have had batteries removed won't do you any good when you really need them!
Defensible Space
Salcha residents are reminded that now is the perfect time to prepare the "defensible space" around your home to protect it from wildfires. Read more
Volunteering with our Team!
Salcha F&R is looking for dedicated volunteer emergency personnel. Applications are on line. Take a look at this distinquished opportunity to serve your community.
Department Training Opportunities
All training is provided at no cost to our members. Read more...
Statistics for 2011
Last Fire Call
18 Dec 11
| 2011 | |
| Structure | 1 |
| Vehicle | 2 |
| Wildland | 1 |
| Other | 1 |
Last EMS Call
26 Dec 11
| 2011 | |
| Toneouts | 68 |
| Transports | 54 |
Salcha Fire and Rescue Department
7153 Richardson Highway | Salcha, AK | 99714
Phone (907) 488-5274; Fax (907) 488-4525
Contact Chief Rob Weathers