[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6602193,"mediaKeyId","3005666-df4ac210f46652cca6d87ccb9494377a","parentId",3005666,"title","Seward Bear Creek Flood Service Area prioritizes riprap purchases, extends Lost Creek mitigation design","audioSeconds",294,"startMs",2175000,"endMs",2469000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3005666-df4ac210f46652cca6d87ccb9494377a&start=2175&end=2469","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3005666-df4ac210f46652cca6d87ccb9494377a/thumbnail_2175000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6602193/Kenai-Peninsula-Borough/Alaska/Seward-Bear-Creek-Flood-Service-Area-prioritizes-riprap-purchases-extends-Lost-Creek-mitigation-design","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6602193-85a31c1732781a7b076e3b8a01687f9d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771168359&Signature=AQV7EQR7RdheN4dl0exi5fDQi0MQ5hxjIh~g-BNOEfQdCeZ~-PFRy8FkwpcZcSkhxvj1V1aggljivl~7y3d5NunistZwSMoX-G5GcUUqnxIJ06WGj8EZ3oBnOpm91A2F0oJsfG6dYucRxN8gSvJOvQ0zeTCI-63RhEeiEtTG0NA4-mjF5E6JPNT7QMFzRXG7JGxHf6Gm9ktfR2ei2GZag8cRGB-3FvV~xeL3QW9NZgPFsGQvYJWxP9XPFupI5ZebCLUwCnNplCuD9a7GGwOQrNJgOJUYpUsZq94o2ODSVsm694zMOLFeSBjH2hEiSHee73~786lm4ECVbecvPseEsQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Kenai Peninsula Borough","date","2025-04-15T00:00:00Z","article","Nicholas Chapman, program manager for the Seward Bear Creek Flood Service Area, presented the service area’s FY26 priorities to the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly Committee of the Whole on April 15 in Seward.

Chapman said the flood service area is a small program with two staff and that the board of directors sets annual priorities for short‑term maintenance, planning and long‑term mitigation. Work in FY25 included establishing ground control and completing standardized sediment‑management plans for 10 sites, completing three mitigation projects, putting one project out to bid, responding to two emerging situations and assisting the borough Office of Emergency Management with three emergencies. Chapman also said the service area has purchased drone equipment for annual creek‑bed mapping to monitor sediment loads.

For FY26, Chapman said the service area will repurpose much of its contract services budget to buy riprap and replace high‑maintenance berms with revetments, and will pursue new design plans to extend Lost Creek mitigation from about 3,000 river feet to roughly 7,000 river feet downstream. He also identified mitigation work planned at Spruce Creek and sediment removal at Upper Kujak Creek as significant project items.

Budget and staffing note: Chapman said the only significant proposed change in the FY26 budget is an interdepartmental charge proposal to allow up to 25 percent of his time to be chargeable to the road service area “in an effort to provide better service to the taxpayers.” An assembly member pointed out a typographical error on the expenditure summary: the FY26 figure shows a 5.51 percent change but Chapman confirmed it should be a negative 5 percent change (a reduction).

Why this matters: the program’s sediment‑management and revetment work aims to protect highways, rail lines and private property from annual sediment movement and overtopping events; Chapman showed a photograph of Salmon Creek overtopping the railroad tracks and the Seward Highway at mile 5 as an example of exposure.

Long‑term outlook: Chapman said the long‑term challenge is replacing berms with riprap revetments and keeping up with the annual sediment removal necessary to maintain creek conveyance. He thanked the assembly for the opportunity to present and invited questions; the presentation ended with no formal assembly action recorded.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Kenai Peninsula Borough - Committee of the Whole on 2025-04-15 2:00 PM - Budget Work Session #1 Meeting ID: 835 6358 3837 Passcode: 606672 - Apr 15, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Program manager Nicholas Chapman told the assembly the Seward Bear Creek Flood Service Area will concentrate FY26 contract funds on riprap to replace high‑maintenance berms, extend Lost Creek mitigation design from 3,000 to about 7,000 river feet, and proposes charging up to 25% of program manager time to the road service area.","taxTitle","Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska","taxId",27490,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6602199,"Eastern Peninsula Highway Emergency Service Area reports improved response times, proposes higher stipends",445,1353000,1798000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3005666-df4ac210f46652cca6d87ccb9494377a&start=1353&end=1798","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3005666-df4ac210f46652cca6d87ccb9494377a/thumbnail_1353000.jpg","/articles/6602199/Kenai-Peninsula-Borough/Alaska/Eastern-Peninsula-Highway-Emergency-Service-Area-reports-improved-response-times-proposes-higher-stipends","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6602199-5a5c3994d1ff7ba873fb3a66538b8bee/orig.mp4?Expires=1771168359&Signature=U6--9eIwLfVu-HwHiQPry6noWTt-Fy1-HgLBhuZhVgvCve3DFOUmMWpZONbERhUrJCRvQQutj8rDVzCzYr0wy7p9Kyu7TD7iNK3LDvCfjaRrimtuulTaCpUSRCQHoE4GNb6zbaleLvDH8KqQHK2EmpBQwiM~Qk-6t-JrmCrWWvzidKoYmonrDm1vqunCriny2KHbM6pW-3NKATZC9y99e2IjJkQD2zXExrN0vGdbwyG1Zh8dnUtZwf1Wx~rkJkTBeRpAmsHNTRMFEhDcTssbHGCVS9PP6uAoa8zF-CeB2jEr46mLl3abfItgXny6AORtWWnvDA5noX31w7vERq~cwQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","For the record, Chief Richard Bracken presented the Eastern Peninsula Highway Emergency Service Area (EPHISA) FY26 budget to the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly Committee of the Whole on April 15 in Seward. He said the service area covers roughly 103 miles of highway on the borough’s east side, is funded by Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) and has 0.5 contracted personnel split between two Bear Creek employees.

Bracken outlined a three-tier stipend system for cooperating agencies and said the FY26 proposal increases agency performance stipends by $12,870. Under the current schedule, agencies receive $300 for an initial incident command response, $600 for transport and $800 for incidents requiring extrication or fire response. Bracken said agencies qualifying for a higher “all‑facet” stipend include Girdwood Fire Department, Central Emergency Services, Bear Creek Fire Service Area and the Seward Fire Department.

Response-time performance is tied to a discretionary third stipend. The current benchmark is 15 minutes from dispatch to the time an appropriate apparatus leaves its agency’s station with at least two personnel on board; Bracken said the service area will consider lowering the benchmark as agencies strengthen. He noted measurable improvements: “They were sitting at a 13 minute and 29 second response time as it relates to dispatch to en route,” and some agencies have reduced their station‑departure times to about 5 minutes and 54 seconds, he said.

Why this matters: EPHISA supports remote, high‑risk corridors such as Turnagain Pass and sections of the Sterling Highway, where limited communications and long travel distances complicate emergency response.

Budget summary and communications needs: Bracken said the FY26 net change for the service area is a budget decrease of $7,308 (‑1.99 percent), largely because a FY25 capital purchase (a vehicle fire trainer) will not recur; the stipend increase is the primary FY26 expenditure increase. He emphasized persistent communications shortfalls across the service area and said the service area will continue to provide matching funds for state tower expansion (ALR) focused on Turnagain Pass and other dead‑zone areas.

Agencies and mutual-aid structure: The EPHISA program maps six response segments, each with tiered primary and secondary responders; agencies named by Bracken included Cooper Landing Emergency Services, Hope Sunrise Emergency Services, Moose Pass Volunteer Fire Company, Seward Volunteer Ambulance Corps, Girdwood Fire Department, Central Emergency Services and Seward Fire Department. An assembly member asked for clarification of the colored segment map and Bracken explained which agencies provide initial responses and which act as tier‑two backups.

Long‑term issues: Bracken highlighted ongoing concerns about poor communications and limited cell coverage for early caller notification, winter response effectiveness along Hope Highway and Turnagain Pass, and the need to reassess response-time benchmarks as agencies gain capacity. The presentation concluded without a formal assembly vote; assembly members indicated continued interest in communications solutions and performance metrics.

","Chief Richard Bracken told the assembly the Eastern Peninsula Highway Emergency Service Area (EPHISA) covers about 103 miles of highway, is funded by PILT, and proposes higher performance stipends while maintaining a 15‑minute response benchmark for FY26.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6602204,"Bear Creek Fire Service Area proposes standby pay, ambulance gurney in FY26 budget",617,189000,806000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3005666-df4ac210f46652cca6d87ccb9494377a&start=189&end=806","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3005666-df4ac210f46652cca6d87ccb9494377a/thumbnail_189000.jpg","/articles/6602204/Kenai-Peninsula-Borough/Alaska/Bear-Creek-Fire-Service-Area-proposes-standby-pay-ambulance-gurney-in-FY26-budget","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6602204-fd73052f2a4f1c43606b11b7d1b7d7d4/orig.mp4?Expires=1771168359&Signature=i6XxvaP2iosSfP74dUElw08yY-gycTNqEO~HnZMk1wYuXaOtabE1BijY~f9wcRvqini3d8I3CIixBnkIVK95oBWfeGU0YKFFe558B9UeTIZkXRBFxoiTVoW3N4Jz8RhrqB3UM-X74xST8GVtia7wk-GigHN4XFWJDtqYKXZJgJBQ62Pq40TmyzxSesi1GCSOS-Rzt9PGVso0N~~pCGO2DmhBg2WCfOEy5tT7E-NoEHjMKduuurDxiA439~HzjdMV4u6TFg43MWppL0zbG26fiu6UdLoQOII9X~ER~gIAsvaunSnwtueyJH8HCjHEpbvswtVWEHy9dcz2qlC22zYlug__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Chief Richard Bracken, chief of the Bear Creek Fire Service Area, told the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly Committee of the Whole on April 15 in Seward that the department’s FY26 budget includes new standby wages for paid staff and a capital request tied to a new ambulance.

The budget proposal adds a standby wage that increases personnel costs by $33,559, Bracken said, and requests $45,000 to purchase and install a power gurney and loading system timed to the arrival of a replacement ambulance that is currently in production. The district plans to expand in-house emergency medical training to offer EMT‑2 and an advanced life support (ALS) program, Bracken said.

The changes come as Bear Creek prepares for “stand‑alone transport” if regional partners face gaps. “Bear Creek will begin preparations to provide stand alone transport to the service area if the need arises,” Bracken said. He also told the assembly Bear Creek currently has about 30 volunteers and roughly 50 calls per year across fire, wildland and EMS responses.

Why this matters: the budget items are meant to reduce response times and provide a guaranteed responder for transport when Seward Volunteer Ambulance Corps or other partners face simultaneous calls. Assembly members pressed for details about staffing, costs and reliance on regional partners.

Budget and capital highlights: Bracken said the personnel increase is driven by the new standby wage, with additional FICA and PERS pushing the personnel-line increases to $33,962. Capital outlay shows a net increase of $11,900 for items including a laptop, monitor and additional structural firefighting gear; the FY26 capital request includes $45,000 for the ambulance gurney and loading system. Bracken listed longer-term replacement needs through FY30–34 that he anticipates will total about $1,278,000 for major apparatus (two snow machines, a side-by-side, command unit, enclosed search-and-rescue trailer, a tanker and a pumper). He also identified planned replacements earlier than that: a snow machine at about $20,000 and a potential SCBA compressor around $50,000.

Training and operational changes: Bracken said Bear Creek has upgraded basic certifications for paid staff and volunteers from “emergency trauma technician and fireground support” to EMT‑1 and Firefighter I, and that the department will roll out an EMT‑2 course taught in‑house this fall. He said the department added four instructor-level members and replaced two 4‑wheelers in cooperation with Volunteer Inc., reducing capital pressure in FY27.

Regional reliance and transport: Assembly member Ms. Eklund asked whether Bear Creek intends to stop using Seward Volunteer Ambulance Corps for ALS and transport; Bracken said the goal is not to replace SVAC but to be prepared for gaps or overlapping calls. “We don’t want to be caught flat footed in the event that maybe there’s an overwhelming call volume,” he said. Bracken said SVAC currently provides the ALS and transport component for Bear Creek, and an assembly member noted SVAC runs about 600 calls per year.

Questions and concerns raised: Assembly members asked about the district’s fund balance and how new standby pay would be funded; one member characterized the district’s bond payment as about $86,000 and noted one mil’s revenue roughly as $225,000 per year, as part of the budget context. Members also pressed how often volunteers remain overnight in the new living quarters; Bracken said overnight staffing has not matured as quickly as hoped but several night shifts have been staffed by volunteers. He and the assembly flagged housing shortages and limited water supply/draft sites in subdivisions as ongoing operational constraints that affect volunteer recruitment and turnout.

Looking ahead: Bracken said increasing the volunteer shift and instituting standby pay are intended to reduce response times and provide a guaranteed minimum responder for transport. The presentation concluded without a formal assembly vote; members said the district and assembly will continue discussing the budget in follow-up sessions.

","Chief Richard Bracken told the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly Committee of the Whole the Bear Creek Fire Service Area will add standby pay for paid staff, is purchasing a new ambulance and is planning ALS training while relying on volunteers and Seward Volunteer Ambulance Corps for transport.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Seward Bear Creek Flood Service Area prioritizes riprap purchases, extends Lost Creek mitigation design

Eastern Peninsula Highway Emergency Service Area reports improved response times, proposes higher stipends

Bear Creek Fire Service Area proposes standby pay, ambulance gurney in FY26 budget