Mat-Su Borough EMS

12/09/2025

The Matanuska-Susitna Borough Department of Emergency Medical Services extends our deepest condolences to the family, friends, and colleagues of former Palmer Fire Chief Chad Cameron, who passed away this morning. We will miss his mentorship and vision.

Our thoughts are with his loved ones and with the members of Palmer Fire & Rescue as they grieve the loss of a respected leader, colleague, and friend.

Rest easy, Chief. We’ll take it from here. 🕊️🚒🚑

It is with great sadness that we share the news of the passing of Chief Chad Cameron of Palmer Fire & Rescue. He dedicated his entire life serving others, his family, his fellow firefighters and his community. He was a man who loved and cared for everyone he met. We will miss him dearly, but the impacts he made on this community will last forever.

12/07/2025

Hey Mat-Su, what's shaking? Besides the teeth in our heads, the windows on our stations, and our trucks as we push down these roads! 🌬️

Please take every precaution if you must go out:

- Layers, more than you think. If you ask, "Is this enough?" The answer is probably no.

- Minimize exposed skin. Frostbite can start in minutes.

- Walk carefully. A 60-mph gust will fold you like a cheap lawn chair. (We think we hit 84 this time.)

- Please, if you can, check on your elderly or infirm friends, relatives, or neighbors (in order of proximity or preference, we don't judge). We are a hardy bunch, but the longer this goes on, the resources can run low quickly.

- Speaking of resources: BE AWARE OF CARBON MONOXIDE! If you are using an alternate heating source, do so safely. If you do not have a detector, you may want to reconsider where you are staying or what you are using for heat (if you can).

- Make sure your furry and feathered friends have extra calories, water, and shelter from the wind. 🐾

- A big thank you to all of our partner Fire Departments who have been running their collective engines off all night long, and to everyone at MEA fighting hurricane-force winds to put us back on the grid. 💪🚒👷‍♂️

- Please reach out to the Red Cross at the number below for any questions about the shelter services available at the Menard. ⛑️

We are out here with you.

UPDATE 4:00 pm 12/7: We are very grateful for the public's generosity. We are unable to accept donations at the shelter at this time. After a disaster, people are incredibly generous and often ask how to help. Financial donations are the quickest and best way to support people impacted by disasters. Donations of clothing and household items divert resources away from our mission, whereas financial donations can be directed to those in need more quickly.

UPDATE 11:00 am 12/7: The shelter location has moved to the Menard Sports Center (1001 S Clapp St, Wasilla, AK 99654).

Anyone affected by the power outage and windstorm is welcome to stop by for a warm place to stay, snacks, to charge their phone, and get other support.

Anyone impacted who needs assistance can call 1-800-RED CROSS. For power outage safety information, visit https://rdcrss.org/4iQOwvW or download the Red Cross Emergency App.

11/26/2025

We are going to start the new year with an academy. Currently accepting applications for EMT and Paramedic positions and seeking someone to take on the role of backstage manager. So whether you want to be on stage or behind the curtain, we have something that will challenge you. Scan the QR code or apply online. All positions close by December 6.

Happy Thanksgiving!! 🦃

10/23/2025

Thank you to Maud and Russell Edmonds—when others might have driven by, they stopped.
They checked, they acted, and they made a difference.

It doesn’t take a uniform to save a life, only compassion, courage, and a heart willing to help.

One small act of kindness can change everything.



https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1ASS1LWcT2/?mibextid=wwXIfrge

10/12/2025

Yesterday, we took part in one of our most extensive multi-agency exercises to date. After almost a year of planning, under the direction of our Mat-Su Emergency Management Team, we coordinated with the Wasilla Police Department, MATCOM, the Alaska State Troopers, Palmer Police Department - AK, Central Mat-Su Fire Department, West Lakes Fire Department, Palmer Fire & Rescue, Mat-Su Regional Medical Center, LifeMed Alaska, the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District, the Mat-Su Mobile Crisis Team and the American Red Cross of Alaska to carry out a large scale mass casualty drill that would test all levels of our emergency response.

Over 100 volunteers spread across multiple locations to simulate our worst nightmare: a violent mass-casualty incident at a local school. The drill ran in real time with live actors and realistic injuries. Responders were not pre-briefed (other than that it was a drill). This was an unscripted response and live radio traffic.

We’re deeply grateful to everyone who showed up. Whether you played a stressed-out teenager, a frantic parent, an injured patient, or supported operations behind the scenes.

Now we take what we learned back to the table and tighten up our game. We’re having the right conversations as a cohesive public safety team. Coordination at a level that simply wasn’t possible a decade ago.

Nobody wants this. But “this” could also be many kinds of mass-casualty events. Knowing that we can achieve this level of cooperation and get it moving in under an hour is something our community should be proud of. They did some fantastic work.

Stay safe out there Mat-Su. And you know if you can't, we're here for you. 🚓🚒🚑

First responders from across the Matanuska-Susitna Borough took part in an active shooter drill.

10/03/2025

📢 Mat-Su!! 🚨

Coming up on Saturday, October 11th - from 10AM to 12PM we will be doing a full-scale exercise at Iditarod Elementary School. Additional details can be found through our mutual heroes at Wasilla Police Department at: https://www.cityofwasilla.gov/DocumentCenter/View/8381/October-11-2025-Full-Scale-Drill?fbclid=IwY2xjawNNHGpleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFDcWJEZVV6cm8zUkhkQkpyAR4QD0VGS4vY32fC9UM9gDLiVGolsBmwfBR5LoCVTLlW3XVB5KUEtEYDqq2noA_aem_LMIUQ0i5nZufxocbV0Q0TQ

⚠️October 11-Emergency Drill & Road Closures⚠️

Good morning Matsuvians,

WPD, AST, EMS, Fire, MSB, Red Cross, MSBSD, and other agencies will be conducting a full-scale Active Shooter/Mass Casualty drill at Iditarod Elementary on Saturday, October 11th. WFH will be CLOSED during the exercise. Please see the press release here for more information:
https://www.cityofwasilla.gov/DocumentCenter/View/8381/October-11-2025-Full-Scale-Drill

10/02/2025

How about a feel-good story from our friends over at Mat-Su Animal Shelter, courtesy of those heroes at Central Mat-Su Fire Department?

🚨🐾 Yippee-Ki-Yay, Kitty! 🐾🚨

On Monday, MSB Department of Emergency Services and Animal Care & Regulation teamed up for a purr-fect rescue mission!

Meet Oliva, the fearless “kitchen panther” who thought she was saving Nakatomi Plaza from Hans Gruber. Channeling her inner John McClane, she found herself in a bit of a cat-astrophe.

Thanks to ACR Officer Teeple and Central Mat-Su Fire Department, Oliva was safely extracted from the house vents and reunited with her human. 🐱💪

Who doesn’t love a fun story!

09/18/2025

At approximately 8:00 am Thursday, Houston Fire Department responded alongside West Lakes Fire Department and Mat-Su Borough EMS to a reported structure fire near Miller's Market at mile 57 of the Parks Highway. Upon arrival, crews found heavy smoke pouring from a 200 square foot cabin, with one occupant rescued thanks to quick-thinking neighbors. The cabin was dangerously close to two other structures. Fire department crews arrived just 8 minutes after dispatch, and used an aggressive attack to limit the fire to the building of origin, preventing it from spreading to neighboring cabins or commercial buildings.

While the cabin's contents were a total loss, we're grateful that the occupant sustained only a minor burn to one finger. Medical treatment was declined by the patient on scene. No pets lived in the home. We are also very happy the neighbors jumped up to help.

We extend our thanks to Willow Fire Department for providing coverage during our response and to the American Red Cross of Alaska for assisting the displaced resident.

09/11/2025

On this day, we remember.

Photos/video: Stefan Hinman - Mat-Su Borough

08/16/2025

Check out our very own Battalion Chief Cory Sathers and the men and women of MSB EMS and Central Mat-Su Fire Department with a tiny peek of a "day in the life." Proud to be here for you Mat-Su, whenever you need us! 💪 🚑🚒🚨❤️

06/19/2025

🚑✨ Level up in the Last Frontier: MSB EMS takes Bronze! ✨🚑

Hey Mat-Su — remember back in 2023 when we told you we were the American Heart Association’s STEMI “poster children”? (If not, catch up here 👉 https://www.facebook.com/msbems/posts/711538437638586 )

Well, guess what? We didn’t stop there.

Thanks to your incredible Mat-Su EMS crews, our dispatchers at MATCOM, and the dedicated team at Mat-Su Regional Medical Center, we’ve officially earned the Mission: Lifeline® Bronze Award AND made the Target: Heart Attack Honor Roll for the first time ever! 🏅❤️

👉 What does that mean for you? Faster care, fewer delays, and more lives saved when seconds matter most. We’ve slashed notification times by 30% and keep exceeding national goals for getting you to definitive heart attack care. ⚡

This means our teams are delivering proven, guideline-based care at every step — from that first 12-lead on your living room floor to seamless transport and early cath lab activation. Every minute counts, every heartbeat matters.

And we’re not stopping here: we join Fairbanks as one of only two EMS agencies in Alaska to ever earn this recognition. We’re already on track for Silver — and yes, Gold is in our sights! 💪🚑

Thank you for trusting us to show up on your worst day and for cheering us on as we keep raising the bar.

❤️ Drop a heart below to help us celebrate — and share the love for your hometown lifesavers!

05/19/2025

Today marks the start of National EMS Week, an observance first authorized by President Gerald Ford in 1974. This year’s theme, “We Care. For Everyone.”, powerfully reflects the commitment and compassion that define our EMS professionals.

Here in Mat-Su, we are privileged not only to serve one of the most breathtaking regions in the world but to care for a community made up of our own friends, neighbors, and families. From the Parks to the Glenn, and every mile in between, our teams stand ready—day or night, rain or shine.

This week, we recognize the extraordinary work our EMS providers do every day. Whether responding to motor vehicle collisions, cardiac arrests, backcountry rescues, or large-scale emergencies, these dedicated men and women deliver skilled, compassionate care when it matters most.

In the coming days, we will share more of what makes these men and women absolutely extraordinary, even by Last Frontier standards. In the meantime, join us in celebrating our crews this week—and every week—for the critical role they play in keeping our communities safe.