Vertical Bridge is considering a plan to bring cell service to Summit Lake, AK, roughly 35 miles northeast of Anchorage. Michelle Weston, fire chief at Girdwood Fire and Rescue, couldn’t be more supportive, reports KDLL-FM.
“You can imagine how frustrating it is when there’s a blizzard and we’re dispatched to something and we drive for an hour and there’s nothing there,” explained Weston. “That’s taking resources away from other people in other locations that might need it and so it’s very important that we have accurate dispatching information and having cell communication will do this. And it’s not just for car accidents. It’s also for backcountry rescue situations.”
The Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly is currently in discussions with Vertical Bridge on a plan to erect a cell tower on the west side of Summit Lake. “We were excited to see they were looking in that area and we were able to match what their interests are with some property that the borough owns,” said Borough Land Management Officer, Marcus Mueller.
“If the assembly approves the lease then the land office of the borough will work with Vertical Bridge to finalize that agreement, which would then allow Vertical Bridge to go in and start working with their project development,” continued Mueller. “I’m sure they have both some additional site investigations to do as well. They might have some regulatory and licensing processes to go through.” The site currently being considered is a 2,187 square foot property with a 150-foot “scenic buffer” planned for the space between the site and the roadway, according to KDLL-FM.
Fire Chief Weston pointed out that the current lack of cell service in the area creates a dangerous situation for travelers. “And so right now what happens is people might get in a horrible car accident, and then they have to rely on people who drive by to see the accident and then get to a location where there is cell service and call 911,” said Weston, a vocal advocate for better connectivity in rural Alaska. “At that point, they might be 20 minutes or a half hour away from the accident scene, so the information isn’t always that accurate. And the patient status isn’t always that accurate.”
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