important information for visitors
Accessing EMS in Hope

Accessing EMS in and around Hope, Alaska

information for residents and visitors to our neck of the woods
Tom Burgin
by Tom Burgin, EMT I, Assistant EMS Chief, Hope Sunrise EMS

Your not in the big city anymore. Know what to do in case of an emergency on your way to or in the Hope and Sunrise areas.

How do I access emergency responders? What number do I call?
Dial 911 ! Calls go to the Soldotna Trooper 911 dispatcher, who then works with our local dispatcher or quickly requests help from mutual aid services.  

BE AWARE that 1) CELL phones used to dial 911 in Hope and some portions of the Seward Highway are ALWAYS routed to Anchorage, potentially causing confusion, delays and possibly no response. 2) occasionally the phone system in Hope will route a 911 call to Anchorage, again, potentially causing confusion and delays. If you feel this has happened, clearly state your location.

Whenever possible use a landline or a highway emergency call box to contact 911. By doing do your call number will be recorded and matched to the address so that a unit can be sent even if you cannot speak.  

If you use a cell phone, let them know you are in HOPE,  your location by highway milepost or other pertinent information. 

If you know the personal phone numbers of individual responders- DO NOT call them  - this will only cause a delay or no response! If you cannot speak we have NO WAY of knowing where the call came from and NO IDEA where to send help . Call 911 !

~ ALWAYS stay on the line until the dispatcher tells you to hang up. ~

When is an illness or accident an “emergency” that I need to call EMS to handle?
Real or perceived, any illnesses or accident could require EMS intervention. If you're not sure you have an emergency, call us! We are happy to come and evaluate the situation for you. See the guide below.

What area do you cover?
We provide service to the communities of Hope and Sunrise, the Hope Highway and the Seward Highway (milepost 76 to 50) We also respond beyond our established service area to assist neighboring services as needed.
MAP    About EMS In Hope, Alaska

Definitely Call 911 if someone:

  • Is or becomes unconscious/semi-unconscious
  • Has trouble breathing or is breathing in a strange way
  • Has chest pain or pressure
  • Is bleeding severely
  • Has pressure or pain in the abdomen that does not go away
  • Is vomiting or passing blood
  • Has seizures, a severe headache, or slurred speech
  • Appears to have been poisoned
  • Has injuries to the head, neck, or back
  • Has possible broken bones
Also call for any of these situations:
  • Fire or explosion
  • Downed electrical wires
  • Swiftly moving or rapidly rising water
  • Presence of poisonous gas
  • Vehicle collisions
  • Victims who cannot be moved easily

Where does Hope Sunrise EMS get the funds to operate?
HSEMS is all volunteer service with care provided by your family, friends or neighbors, thus helping keep operational costs low. We obtain the most of our funding through our annual fundraiser, the Wagon Trail Run held each July. As much as possible we try to obtain whatever small grants are available to EMS. We do our best to avoid being a financial burden to the individual or the community and donations are very much appreciated and used to keep the service viable.

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