Anchorage Health Department announces firing, then un-firing, of contractor that runs 24-hour sleep-off service

An Anchorage Safety Patrol van parked near C Street on Tuesday. The Anchorage Health Department says the contractor Securitas Security Services USA, which runs the vans and associated sleep-off center, has struggled with EMT staffing shortages. , Securitas Security Services USA, which runs the city’s 24-hour pick-up and sleep-off service for people incapacitated by drugs or alcohol. A week later, the department said Securitas would stay on.

The department’s abrupt decision Friday to un-fire Securitas followed a meeting with local emergency service providers that have helped fill in the gaps when the contractor lapsed, picking up incapacitated people by ambulance and taking them to the emergency room. Anchorage Fire Department Assistant Chief Alex Boyd said he’s happy with the decision.

Securitas is supposed to have at least one driver-EMT duo patrolling Anchorage in a van at all times. The Anchorage Safety Center, a supervised sleep-off space, is also supposed to be open all the time with enough staff to monitor at least 45 people. , Securitas District Manager Doug Stewart said for April, there were several days when there was no van service at all, and other days with only partial coverage.

“I hate to say this, we may be contributing to the challenges that Securitas and other teams are seeing,” he said. “Because our focus is more of a long-term career employment, and theirs tend to be a little bit less career oriented in long-term employment.”about the problems with the safety patrol and the contractor’s labor issues.

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