Anchorage Fire Department

Overnight Activity

Wednesday, Feb 27th 2008

Contact Battalion Chief Tom Kempton 317-7233 for more info:

Fire contained to exterior chimney chase by quick response to 8500 Rebel Ridge in the Muldoon area. At 1921 last night 11 units responded, Engine 6 first on location was able to knock the fire down on the exterior and quickly made sure that the fire did not extend into the attic or roof of this strucuture. Damage was limited to the boxed in chimney chase and the occupants were not displaced by the fire.

At 3:38 AM this morning 10 units responded to reports of an occupant trapped in a strucuture fire at 1105 W 30th Avenue, near Northstar and Spenard.  Engine 5 and Truck 5 from the Spenard Station were able to make sure the occupants had all escaped safely and then were able to quickly extinguish a small fire that had apparently began in an oil-fired heater. Damage was limited.  Units were on location for about an hour and the residence was turned back over to the occupants.

There was also a response yesterday to a local health club where a 35 year old male had apparently collapsed after suffering a cardiac event.  The Anchorge Police Department responded with the Anchorage Fire Department Paramedics and they were able to restore circulation within minutes of beginning CPR and beginning advanced cardiac life support with automatic defibulators and cardiac medications.  This continues the incredible success rate that the Anchorage Emergency Medical System with the efforts of Dr. Michael Levy has recently reported on.  Additional information can be found here in the previous articles.

Press Release

2-20-2008

Contact Tom Kempton 317-7233

How does the Anchorage Fire Department compare to other cities in the delivery of emergency medical services?  If you had a cardiac arrest and collapsed here in Anchorage what chance would you have to survive?

A 2003 USA Today article found disparities in emergency medical care across the nation and said cities that carefully track their EMS performance save many more lives.

Several cities including Houston, Anchorage, Austin, Cincinnati, Kansas City, Raleigh and Tucson have signed up for the Emory University/CDC (Centers for Disease Control) study known as Cardiac Arrest Registry to Enhance Survival, or CARES. This 5 year, $1.5 million CDC project launched four years ago.  Initial investigations found that emergency medical systems in most of the nation’s 50 largest cities were fragmented, inconsistent and slow. 

How does Anchorage Compare? Join Dr. Michael Levy, Anchorage Fire Department’s Medical Director and Kathy Jacobi, American Heart Association as they discuss the latest figures which show how well the Anchorage Fire Department is doing with cardiac arrest save rates.

Join us Thursday, February 21^st, 11:00 AM at Anchorage Fire Station One, 4^th and A Street.  Mayor Begich, Dr. Levy and other representatives of the Anchorage medical community will discuss the performance of the Anchorage Fire Department and what citizens can do to save more residents who collapse of sudden cardiac arrest.