05/06/2025 01:30 PM Senate COMMUNITY & REGIONAL AFFAIRS

               SB 140-FIRE STATION GRANT PROGRAM                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
1:45:47 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR MERRICK announced  the consideration of SENATE  BILL NO. 140                                                              
"An Act  relating to  a matching  grant program  for fire  station                                                              
construction  and  renovation;  and  providing  for  an  effective                                                              
date."                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
1:46:18 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  BERT  STEDMAN,  District  A,  Alaska  State  Legislature,                                                              
Juneau,  Alaska, stated  that SB  140  would create  a program  to                                                              
address  the future  construction  of  fire halls.  He  emphasized                                                              
that the  program would  take effect  at a  future time,  when the                                                              
state  is in  a  better  financial  position. He  paraphrased  the                                                              
following written testimony:                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
[Original punctuation provided.]                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
        • It is an absolute necessity that firefighters                                                                         
          across   Alaska  have   functional  facilities   to                                                                   
          ensure  they  can respond  to  emergencies  swiftly                                                                   
          and  safely.  Regrettably, numerous  fire  stations                                                                   
          in the  state are in  critical need of  repairs and                                                                   
          modernization.  Investing  in these  fire  stations                                                                   
          means  supporting  the  dedicated  individuals  who                                                                   
          consistently  stand by  our communities during  our                                                                   
          times of greatest need.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
        • Many stations are nearing the end of their useful                                                                     
          lives,  and each  one serves an  essential role  in                                                                   
          protecting their communities.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
        • Each new year brings innovations in technology                                                                        
          and  updates  to  best  station  design  practices,                                                                   
          coupled  with  regular  wear and  tear  from  daily                                                                   
          use,  and  it  is  inevitable  that  existing  fire                                                                   
          stations eventually become outdated.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
        • SB 140 establishes a matching grant program that                                                                      
          provides  funding  for  up  to 50  percent  of  the                                                                   
          total project  cost for constructing  or renovating                                                                   
          fire stations.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
        • This program would follow the structure of other                                                                      
          successful   infrastructure   investment   programs                                                                   
          already  established  in  our  state.  One  notable                                                                   
          example  is  the  Harbor  Matching  Grant  Program,                                                                   
          which  has   awarded  approximately   $118  million                                                                   
          dollars  to 57  harbor projects  over the past  two                                                                   
          decades.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
        • A decade ago, the Legislature appropriated                                                                            
          substantial  funding  to  construct  or  replace  a                                                                   
          dozen  fire  stations  across  Alaska.  These  were                                                                   
          highly popular capital budget items.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  STEDMAN   argued  that   it  makes  sense   to  replicate                                                              
successful  ventures such  as the Harbor  Matching Grant  Program.                                                              
He noted  that there is a  similar program for libraries.  He said                                                              
that  this  removes  much  of the  politics  and  creates  a  fair                                                              
process to help communities build necessary infrastructure.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
1:48:59 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  STEDMAN  moved  to  slide   2,  Nikiski  Fire  Department                                                              
Station  no.  2,  Kenai  Peninsula   Borough.  He  stated  that  a                                                              
previous  capital budget  included construction  funding for  this                                                              
fire hall and many others across the state.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
1:49:27 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR STEDMAN moved to slide 3, Anchorage Fire Station No. 6:                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
[Original punctuation provided.]                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
        • Prior to the construction of the new building,                                                                        
          Station No.6  operated out of a fire  hall built in                                                                   
          the 1970s.  That structure was originally  intended                                                                   
          as a  temporary replacement  for the old  volunteer                                                                   
          station   after  the   formation  of  the   Greater                                                                   
          Anchorage Area Borough.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
        • The new Station No. 6 was necessary to meet the                                                                       
          ever-expanding  demands   of  the  greater  Muldoon                                                                   
          Area.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
1:50:01 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR STEDMAN returned to slide 2, Nikiski Fire Department                                                                    
Station no. 2, Kenai Peninsula Borough:                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
[Original punctuation provided.]                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
        • Nikiski Fire Department Station no. 2 has the                                                                         
          largest fire service area on the Kenai Peninsula                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
        • The original structure was intended as a                                                                              
          community center  for Nikiski and was  not designed                                                                   
          or  constructed   to  adequately  accommodate   the                                                                   
          equipment  and personnel  required for medical  and                                                                   
          fire services.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
1:50:30 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR STEDMAN moved to slide 4, City of St. Paul Municipal                                                                    
Fire Station:                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
[Original punctuation provided.]                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
        • Established a centralized facility to support                                                                         
          community   operations   and   equipment   storage,                                                                   
          ensuring an  effective response system. This  was a                                                                   
          joint   effort   with   the  Central   Bering   Sea                                                                   
          Fishermen's  Association and  includes storage  for                                                                   
          their Grove Crane and front-end loader.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
       • Construction was successfully completed in 2009.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR STEDMAN noted that the presentation includes a selection                                                                
of fire stations across the state.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
1:51:06 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR STEDMAN moved to slide 5, Chugiak Volunteer Fire and                                                                    
Rescue Station No. 35 (Lowe):                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
[Original punctuation provided.]                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
        • Located near Fire Lake in Eagle River                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
        • The previous station was forced to close in                                                                           
          February 2012 after heavy snowfall caused                                                                             
          irreparable damage to the roof.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
        • This newly constructed building was completed in                                                                      
          the summer of 2014.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR STEDMAN  explained that  previously, the legislature  used                                                              
an  informal  process   to  evaluate  the  need   for  fire  halls                                                              
statewide.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
1:51:43 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  STEDMAN said  SB 140  would create  a formalized  process                                                              
with a  needs-based, ranked system.  This would level  the playing                                                              
field  for  communities across  the  state.  He said  fire  chiefs                                                              
across the  state have submitted a  list of fire halls  in need of                                                              
construction and  renovations. He briefly discussed why  it can be                                                              
difficult  for communities  to access capitol  budget funding.  He                                                              
reiterated that  SB 140 would create  a fair system  and explained                                                              
that the  legislature would  collectively decide  how much  of the                                                              
list to  fund, similar  to other  types of  major maintenance.  He                                                              
explained   that  community   fire   hall   construction  is   not                                                              
constitutionally  mandated  like  K-12 education  and  K-12  major                                                              
maintenance.  He  said that  SB  140  would  enable the  State  to                                                              
construct fire halls  in years where the funding  is available. He                                                              
said  that  there  is  adequate  time  to  write  regulations  and                                                              
indicated  that  incomplete  regulations   would  not  hinder  the                                                              
program's  start. He  noted that  the  library fund  did not  have                                                              
regulations  and the  State  was able  to  implement that  program                                                              
with the  help of librarians  across the  state. He said  the fire                                                              
hall  program   would  involve  the   help  of  the   Fire  Chiefs                                                              
Association.  He emphasized  that  the Fire  Department  is not  a                                                              
political  organization and  said SB  140 would  help ensure  that                                                              
politics remain outside of fire halls.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
1:54:27 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR MERRICK announced invited testimony on SB 140.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
1:54:42 PM                                                                                                                    
FOREST  KUIPER,   President,  Alaska   Fire  Chiefs   Association,                                                              
Juneau,  Alaska,  said  SB  140  is a  direct  investment  in  the                                                              
safety,  resilience,  and  wellbeing of  Alaskan  communities.  He                                                              
stated that fire  departments across the state are  forced to work                                                              
with  aging   infrastructure  and   limited  space.   Often,  fire                                                              
departments operate  out of buildings  that were not  designed for                                                              
the demands  of modern emergency  response. SB 140 would  create a                                                              
dedicated grant  program for  building construction  and upgrades.                                                              
He  said  that  in  2023,  the   Alaska  Fire  Chiefs  Association                                                              
identified  over  $400  million   in  essential  construction  and                                                              
renovation  projects across  the state. The  projects are  shovel-                                                              
ready  but  lack   the  necessary  funding.  He   emphasized  that                                                              
communities across  the state want  to be proactive  and prepared.                                                              
He  shared  that  many  small  fire  departments  operate  out  of                                                              
converted  garages or  decades old  station  and therefore  cannot                                                              
accommodate modern  fire engines or equipment.  Stations operating                                                              
in these conditions  cannot provide a safe, clean  environment for                                                              
firefighters.   He  emphasized  that   this  is  inefficient   and                                                              
dangerous. He  pointed out that,  in an emergency,  seconds count.                                                              
A well-located,  properly equipped  fire station reduces  response                                                              
times,  saves  lives,  and  protects  property.  He  said  SB  140                                                              
recognizes  that  infrastructure,  personnel,  and  equipment  are                                                              
equally important.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
1:57:37 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR MERRICK opened public testimony on SB 140.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
1:57:56 PM                                                                                                                    
CAROLE   TRIEM,   Intergovernmental    Affairs   Manager,   Alaska                                                              
Municipal  League,  Juneau, Alaska,  testified  in  support of  SB
.  She  acknowledged  budgetary constraints.  She  thanked  the                                                              
legislature  for  recognizing  that   local  governments  play  an                                                              
important  role in ensuring  public safety  and for  acknowledging                                                              
the importance of  fire station construction and  maintenance. She                                                              
emphasized that  public safety and  fire protection are  among the                                                              
core  services  citizens  expect local  governments  provide.  She                                                              
noted the increasing  fiscal pressure on local  governments, which                                                              
places an  additional burden on  local taxpayers. She  stated that                                                              
the   fire  station   grant  program   would   be  a   significant                                                              
advancement  toward meeting  crucial  public  safety needs  across                                                              
the state.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
1:59:03 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR MERRICK closed public testimony on SB 140.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
1:59:14 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  STEDMAN   offered  a   closing  statement.   He  directed                                                              
attention  to  a letter  stating  that  the Department  of  Public                                                              
Safety (DPS)  should house  this concept. He  opined that  this is                                                              
implausible  and  instead  suggested replicating  what  works.  He                                                              
stated  that having  a  50 percent  match  helps communities  keep                                                              
costs  under  control.   He  added  that  the   Legislature  could                                                              
consider  funding caps  and other  adjustments in  the future.  He                                                              
opined  that SB  140  is a  good  start and  added  that it  would                                                              
benefit  the  entire state  to  have  updated  fire halls  in  all                                                              
communities once the funding is available.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
2:00:05 PM                                                                                                                    
[CHAIR MERRICK held SB 140 in committee.]