The Anchorage Assembly Rules Committee was told Jan. 9 that the municipal building's fire alarm system has been out of service since October and that repairs are scheduled to begin Jan. 13.

The committee's chair, Christopher Constant, told members the branch only recently learned of a new operating procedure for fire emergency management that had not been communicated to the assembly branch. Constant said the building had been relying on manual announcements and security checks while the alarm system was inoperable.

The matter emerged during the chair's report. Committee members said they had not been briefed and raised safety concerns for staff and members who regularly work in the building when automated alarms are unavailable. "If a fire happens, know that if you pull the lever, it might not work. We are told pull the lever anyways because it might work," Constant said during the meeting.

Several members described practical gaps: staff who work outside regular hours said they had no reliable way to know whether the building's alarm system—or any new procedure for evacuations—applied to them. Committee members also said the administration told them the building's alarm notifications had been changed by the prior administration and that some branch e-mail lists were intentionally subdivided, which had prevented cross-branch notification.

The administration, speaking through the deputy chief of staff for the mayor, apologized that the mayor could not attend and confirmed the mayor had provided a written report. Committee members said they expect a short primer on building emergency procedures to be posted where other emergency notices are kept and that security and real estate are addressing the deficiency.

Committee members also discussed whether longer-term facility options should be considered given the lapse in basic life-safety communications. No formal action or vote was taken; the committee recorded the administration's plan to start repairs on Jan. 13 and asked that staff circulate clear guidance to members and regular occupants of the building.

The committee did not adopt policy or change municipal code at the Jan. 9 meeting; members requested follow-up information and assurances from the administration about interim procedures until repairs are completed.