VIDEO: According to the Alaska Rescue Coordination Center (AKRCC), rescue season is well underway, and itโs been a busy start to the season. The high volume of rescue missions can in part be attributed to better communications technology, leading to more rescues and less resource misuse. โRescue season is when weโre seeing both Alaskans and visitors coming into Alaska and really enjoying the outdoors,โ said Lt. Col. Allan Sain, director of the AKRCC.
He said that the summer months make up a majority of the season as the lack of cold weather and ice make it possible to get out more. The lack of winter conditions also increases the ability for aviation rescues to take place as well. โOn average, the Alaska Rescue Coordination Center has seen about 90 saves a year,โ Sain said. Saves, as Sain explained, are missions that involve people in a distressed situation that need to be recovered either to a medical or to a safe place.
This can be because of a loss of gear necessary to survive the elements, injuries or other medical issues. So far this year, there have been 47 saves conducted by Dept. of Defense assets such as National Guard units. โI thought that was going to be low and weโre actually probably on par and last year in 2024 we had 43 saves at this time of year,โ Sain said. In 2024 the AKRCC saw 131 saves in total and 144 in 2023. Sain believed that the count for this year wouldโve been lower due to less desirable winter conditions, but his records show the center responded to 225 incidences.
