A transition report from former Mayor Dave Bronson’s administration described upcoming challenges for the city across multiple departments as Mayor Suzanne LaFrance’s administration takes over.
ANCHORAGE, Alaska - A transition report released last week from former Mayor Dave Bronson ’s administration is now triggering questions surrounding the impact it will have on public safety and city services.The fire department’s section in the more than 150-page report described issues with firefighter morale, financials, and recruiting practices.
“The reason that EMS calls are going up is because ... more people are relying on emergency medical services for their primary care. So we have crews that are taking a very high proportion of the people who are suffering from an opioid epidemic, we have people that are experiencing homelessness, and often times have nowhere to turn or don’t have insurance or can’t access health care, and so they’re turning to 911 for basic care,” Schrage said.
The chief said the department is not dealing with low staffing issues that will impact response times, but it is facing challenges in hiring members who are reflective of the community. “The last academy we hired had the highest number of female firefighters graduate than ever before in the history of the fire department. We’ve had focused enhanced recruiting efforts trying to reach all corners of our community.”
Mayor Bronson Lafrance Suzanne Lafrance Anchorage Mayor
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