City of Fairbanks Fire Department

03/27/2026

**Warning: Stay off the Ice on the Chena River**

On Friday, March 27, 2026, at approximately 12:49 p.m., the Fairbanks Emergency Communications Center received a 911 call from an adult woman who had fallen through the ice while walking across the Chena River near the downtown area. The woman was partially submerged in the water but was able to reach her phone and call 911 for help.

The Fairbanks Fire Department responded and, wearing ice rescue suits, firefighters were able to reach the woman and safely rescue her using a rope bag. She was transported to Fairbanks Memorial Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

As temperatures warm in the Fairbanks area, ice conditions on the Chena River are deteriorating and will become increasingly dangerous as we near Spring. What may appear to be solid ice can quickly give way without warning.

The Fairbanks Fire Department strongly urges residents to stay off the river ice and use safer routes for foot travel. Falling through the ice can quickly become a life-threatening emergency.

07/23/2025

🔥 NOW HIRING: Firefighter/Paramedic 🚒

Looking for a career that’s more than just a job? The Fairbanks Fire Department is now accepting applications for Firefighter/Paramedic, and we’re looking for dedicated, driven individuals ready to make a real difference in our community.

Whether you’re responding to emergencies, providing critical medical care, or helping someone on their worst day…every shift is a chance to serve, protect, and grow.

🧯 What We Offer:

✅ $20,000 Bonus for Licensed Paramedics
✅ Wage: $22-$32.74/Hour
✅ Excellent schedule with a 48 hour-on/96 hour-off work week.
✅ Opportunities to advance within a proud, professional department
✅ Comprehensive training and equipment
✅ Be part of a close-knit team serving Alaska’s Golden Heart City

📍 Located in the heart of Fairbanks, Alaska, our department is proud to serve a city known for its resilience, community spirit, and rugged beauty.

⏰ Deadline to Apply: August 17, 2025

LINK TO APPLY IN COMMENTS

📧 Email [email protected] for more information.

🧑‍🚒 Start your career where it matters most.

07/07/2025

Thank you to the Alaska Goldpanners for inviting Fire Chief Coccaro to throw out the first pitch on First Responders Day! We’re also grateful for the generous donations from sponsor Firehouse Subs over the years in support of local fire departments! ⚾️ 👨‍🚒

06/29/2025

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – FFD/FPD Press Release - Missing Kayaker - ***UPDATE***

DATE: June 29, 2025

MEDIA CONTACT: Teal Soden, Public Information Officer, 907-459-6792, [email protected]

On Sunday, June 29, 2025, at approximately 7:00 p.m., the body of 24-year-old Christian Diaz was recovered from the Chena River near the Pioneer Park boat launch.

Multiple agencies and dedicated volunteers had been searching continuously since Diaz entered the river Friday evening.
We are deeply grateful to everyone who assisted in the search and recovery efforts, including personnel from Fairbanks Fire Department, University Fire, Fairbanks Police Department, Village Public Safety Officers (VPSOs), service members from Eielson TAC-P and Eielson SERE, volunteers from PAWS Search & Rescue and Volunteers in Policing, divers from Hard Core Divers, and all others that helped in the search or assisted the family of Diaz.

Our heartfelt condolences go out to Christian’s family, friends, and fellow airmen during this incredibly difficult time.

___________________________________

ORIGINAL RELEASE:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – FFD/FPD Press Release - Missing Kayaker

DATE: June 28, 2025

MEDIA CONTACT: Teal Soden, Public Information Officer, 907-459-6792, [email protected]

On Friday, June 27, 2025, at approximately 6:40 p.m., the Fairbanks Fire Department was dispatched to a report of a water rescue on the Chena River near the Pioneer Park boat launch. Witnesses reported that a man had gone missing after his kayak overturned.

The missing individual, a 24-year-old American service member stationed at Kunsan Air Base in Korea, was visiting Eielson Air Force Base for training. He had spent the day kayaking with three friends on the Chena River and was not wearing a life jacket at the time of the incident.

Fairbanks Fire Department personnel conducted an extensive search Friday evening before transitioning to a recovery operation. Fairbanks Police Department officers interviewed witnesses of incident, and Village Public Safety Officers (VPSOs) and PAWS Search and Rescue dogs are assisting in the ongoing effort. The individual remains missing, and his family has been notified.

Our thoughts are with the friends and family of the missing man during this difficult time.

We want to remind the public that conditions on the Chena River can be unpredictable and potentially dangerous, even for strong swimmers. Please use extreme caution when recreating near or on the water, and always wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket while boating, kayaking, or floating the river. A life jacket can make all the difference in an emergency.

01/27/2025

There have been patch and coin requests come through our email and Facebook messenger. Unfortunately due to the large number of requests we cannot donate patches or coins upon request. They can be purchased with cash, cashiers check or money order made Payable to "FFD"

If you have any other questions, feel free to give us a call at 907-450-6600 or check out our website.

Fairbanksalaska.us/fire

Thank you for all of your support.

Welcome to the Fairbanks Fire Department Our Vision

11/15/2024

**Important announcement 📢 about Fairbanks Fire Station 3, located at 1033 Aurora Drive:

Station 3 is currently undergoing renovations and will not be staffed temporarily. That said, FFD is will still have the same number of personnel and units🚒 🚑staffed, they will just all be based out of Station 1 on Cushman Street. There may be a slight increase to response times in the Aurora area, but only by a few minutes.

We anticipate renovations to take about 3-6 months and then Fire Station 3 will be staffed normally. We’ll keep Fairbanks posted!

As always, we remain committed to providing the best possible service to our community and appreciate your understanding when we need to make adjustments! 👨‍🚒

09/09/2024

This past week your Golden Heart Firefighters took full advantage of the sun being out and about to get some good training in for the recruits and for the current firefighters close to becoming acting drivers.

07/22/2024

Last week your Fairbanks Fire Department’s Firefighters practiced rolling up onto heavily involved fire ground scenes, where everything from pumping the engine, pulling the hose line, fighting the fire and putting it out, finding and extricating victims, and lastly implementing the Rapid Intervention Team (RIT) skill if and when something goes wrong for us. Great work everyone!

07/18/2024

06/19/2024

PRESS RELEASE

SUBJECT: FNSB/City of Fairbanks EMS and Ambulance Contract Cancellation

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Fairbanks, AK:

For over twenty years, City of Fairbanks Fire Department (FFD) has worked under a contract between the Fairbanks North Star Borough (FNSB) and the City of Fairbanks to provide Emergency Medical Service (EMS) and ambulance services for a portion of the Borough that is outside City limits. The area is bounded on the West by South Lathrop Street, on the North by Van Horn Road, on the South by the Tanana River, and East to Ft. Wainwright. The area includes Tanana Lakes Recreation Area, Lakeview Terrace, and the Secluded Acres subdivision on Fort Wainwright.

Through the contract, FFD covered EMS calls for the area 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. FFD’s response level was the same for this area as similar calls that were within city limits. In the last 4 ½ years alone, FFD has responded to 177 EMS calls to the contracted area.

In early June, a Fairbanks North Star Borough official informed Fairbanks Fire Department that FNSB will not be renewing this contract. This means that beginning July 1st, 2024, FFD EMS personnel will no longer be responding to medical emergencies in the areas outside of City limits that were outlined in that contract.

Given that Fairbanks Fire Department is closer to that area than other ambulance services, the impact that residents of the affected areas may experience is longer wait times for EMS to arrive.

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06/04/2024

C Platoon took advantage of the beautiful day to train. They practiced multiple “roll up” drills with the new recruits, to help practice their hose deploying skills. But these drills are so great because they let everyone be involved and practice sometimething due to it being a simulation of rolling up to a structure fire.

05/14/2024

Contrary to what most people may think, we the fire department do not have smoke alarms to give out unfortunately. If you would like a smoke alarm for your residence or business, which we highly suggest, you can contact the American Red Cross at 907-456-5937.

Thank You and Stay Safe!