Valdez Fire Department

06/08/2026

It’s been a very busy couple of weeks for training! On the heels of a week long Rigging for Rescue seminar, three of your Valdez firefighters traveled to Palmer to attend a state certified Fire Apparatus Driver Operator class for driver/pumper and mobile water supply. They had been studying hard and attending online sessions for the last month and it all culminated with 4 days of skills sign offs and a day for the state written exam and practical skills.

Palmer Fire and Rescue brought members from Valdez, Cordova and Unalaska to get certified, so that they could in turn hold these classes at their departments in the future, building professional driver operators around the state!

We are grateful to our hosts at Palmer Fire and Rescue for generously giving their time, expertise and equipment to build up the Alaska fire service.

05/22/2026

🚒💥 YOUR NEXT CAREER STARTS HERE 💥🚒

NOW HIRING: FULL-TIME FIREFIGHTER

Not just a job — a career with purpose.

If you’re ready for challenge, teamwork, service, and making a real difference in your community, this opportunity is for you.

✅ Full-Time Position
✅ Serve Your Community
✅ Work With a Great Team

🔥 Think you’ve got what it takes?

Apply now before the opportunity passes by!

https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/valdez/jobs/5343870/firefighter?pagetype=jobOpportunitiesJobs

The City of Valdez is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified applicants receive consideration for employment without discrimination due to race, color, national origin, s*x, age, marital status, veteran status, or s*xual orientation.

05/19/2026

We are so happy to have been able to once again assist the Gilson Middle School with their annual egg drop projects. This has become a bit of a tradition the last few years and we look forward to seeing what the students come up next year!

05/19/2026

04/30/2026

The Valdez Fire Department shares these sentiments about Trooper Tony Beck. Trooper Beck has been a long standing member of the first responder community in Valdez and has always been a vital member of the team during search and rescue operations, both in the field and assisting in the command post. There has never been any doubt that Tony loved serving the state of Alaska and the community of Valdez. We want to wish Tony and his family all the best in this next step! Thank you Tony for all of your years of service to Valdez.

04/28/2026

This past weekend your Valdez firefighters completed the 2026 Firefighter 1 academy and state testing. We have 8 new firefighters that put in nearly 200 hours of work into their Hazmat Operations and Firefighter 1 curriculum. It takes a huge amount of dedication to give up that many hours of personal time and we are grateful for them.

We are excited to see these new firefighters grow in the fire service and continue their quest for more knowledge and skills.

We accept applications year round at Station 1. If you are interested in seeing how you can serve the community of Valdez, stop by the fire department and we would be happy to give you a tour and give you more information.

04/28/2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Structure Fire on Gulkana Street Contained by Valdez Fire Department
No human injuries reported in late-night fire.

VALDEZ, ALASKA (April 27, 2026) — The Valdez Fire Department responded to a structure fire at 137 Gulkana Street at approximately 8:51 p.m. on April 26, 2026. Firefighters arrived to find heavy smoke coming from the roof and residents attempting to put out the fire. Crews quickly entered the home, brought the fire under control, and confirmed no occupants were inside. One pet cat was located and did not survive despite resuscitation efforts.

Upon arrival, Engine 2 reported heavy smoke from the roofline and one resident attempting to extinguish the fire on the roof. Fire personnel deployed hoses and made entry into the structure, encountering zero visibility and high heat in the front room.

Firefighters began putting out the fire immediately, had it under control at approximately 9:20 p.m., and confirmed that no people were inside the home.

Fire crews located an unresponsive cat. A firefighter removed the animal and, with the help of an EMT, performed pet CPR. The cat unfortunately died due to smoke inhalation.

No other casualties were reported. The structure sustained significant damage to the front half of the building.

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View this News Release: https://bit.ly/4tjh5Wx
View all News Releases: www.valdezak.gov/pio

Valdez Fire Department

04/22/2026

04/20/2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SNOWMACHINE RIDER TRIGGERS AVALANCHE, SEARCH & RESCUE CALL ON THOMPSON PASS
Quick response and bystander assistance help bring rider to safety.

VALDEZ, ALASKA (April 18, 2026) —A snowmachine rider triggered an avalanche on the south aspect of DOT Ridge (Loveland) near Thompson Pass Saturday afternoon and was safely transported from the field with the help of bystanders. Valdez Fire Department (VFD) personnel initiated a search and rescue response after receiving a report at 2:23 p.m. from a member of the public at the Valdez Snowmachine Club’s Mountain Man Hill Climb event. The rider later arrived at the command post without serious injury.
VFD personnel on-site for event safety were approached by a witness who reported seeing a rider travel off the south side of DOT Ridge near the summit. The witness followed the rider’s tracks until terrain and conditions made it unsafe to continue, then alerted emergency personnel who were staged nearby.
VFD personnel quickly organized an initial search team with on-site personnel and volunteers. Responders from VFD, Alaska Safe Riders, and the Valdez Snowmachine Club immediately began searching the area. Poor visibility and active avalanche conditions made the search challenging.
At 2:38 p.m., a rescue operations command post was established at the Alaska Department of Transportation Thompson Pass Station in coordination with the Alaska State Troopers. Additional VFD rescue personnel, snowmachines, and backcountry rescue resources responded. The Valdez Police Department supported the effort with drone overflights.
During the search, responders identified a large avalanche with fresh debris and began focusing efforts in that area. While teams were actively searching, the rider arrived at the command post after being transported out of the field by bystanders.
The rider reported traveling too far up the slope and overshooting the ridgeline, landing on the south face. While attempting to turn back uphill, he triggered a large avalanche that carried him approximately 1,000 vertical feet downslope. During the descent, the snowmachine struck a rock, ejecting the rider onto the avalanche debris surface. The rider reported narrowly avoiding being swept over steep cliffs.

Safety Reminder:
The Valdez Fire Department reminds all backcountry users to be prepared when recreating in avalanche terrain. Always travel with a partner and carry essential safety equipment, including a beacon, probe, and shovel. Conditions can change rapidly, and proper preparation can save lives. For more on avalanche safety, please follow local advisories and practice safe riding habits.
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View this News Release: https://bit.ly/4mHKwQf
View all News Releases: www.valdezak.gov/PIO

Valdez Fire Department | Valdez Snowmachine Club | Alaska Safe Riders | Alaska State Troopers