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Northwest Arctic Borough Public Safety Commission plans trainings, connex inventory and swears-in new LEPC member
Summary
At its March 7 meeting in Kotzebue the commission approved routine business, heard plans for an April emergency-management conference and April 15–17 search-and-rescue training in Selawik, set a connex inventory after fall flooding, and was told Thomas Baker will join LEPC and be sworn in at the next meeting.
The Northwest Arctic Borough Public Safety Commission met March 7 in Kotzebue, where members approved routine business and discussed upcoming emergency-management and search-and-rescue training, the status of connex containers after recent flooding, and a new LEPC appointment.
Fire Chief Tristan Ferguson said the 2025 Emergency Management Conference will take place in Anchorage in April and asked anyone interested to contact the borough office. Chairman Billy Lee asked whether the Search and Rescue training in Selawik is scheduled for April 15–17, 2025 and whether LSU will participate; Ferguson summarized LSU training held Feb. 5–6 in Kotzebue and said LSU plans to involve multiple communities in future sessions.
Ferguson told the commission an inventory of connex units will be completed in partnership with the City of Kotzebue. Chair Billy Lee asked how many connex were underwater from the fall flood and recommended finishing the inventory before the Emergency Conference so the commission could report on recent disaster impacts. A VPSO coordinator reported the borough assists villages with updating the SCERPS toolkit but commissioners noted it can be difficult for villages to keep priorities current.
On LEPC business, Ferguson reported a new member, Thomas Baker, is attending training in Wasilla and is the 2nd Lieutenant of the Alaska Defense Force; Baker is slated to be sworn in at the next meeting. Commissioners shared closing comments: Christopher Cook and N. Carol Wesley thanked attendees; Jackie Hill requested a housekeeping correction to the agenda date and asked how National Weather Service office closings might affect search-and-rescue operations. David Barr noted new Arctic Circle Search & Rescue board members and inventory work; the Assembly President recommended sending materials to the City of Buckland, and Wesley said Kivalina City and Tribe should receive documents.
The commission set a tentative next meeting for June 10–11, 2025 and adjourned at 11:48 A.M.
