How the System Works
Understanding the emergency response process helps you communicate effectively and know what to expect.
When you press that SOS button, you should know who’s on the other end and what happens next. It’s not magic. It’s a chain of people and agencies, each with their own process, and understanding that chain helps you communicate effectively when it matters.
SOS Activation (Satellite Devices)
If you’re carrying a satellite communication device like a Garmin inReach, activating the SOS button initiates this sequence:
Your SOS signal goes to the International Emergency Response Coordination Center (IERCC) in Texas.
IERCC contacts the appropriate Alaska State Trooper dispatch. Depending on your location, this might be Fairbanks dispatch, Talkeetna dispatch, or Palmer/MATCOM dispatch.
Alaska State Troopers coordinate with the National Park Service for incidents within national park boundaries. Both agencies work together on the response.
Resources are dispatched: Air rescue (helicopter or fixed-wing), ground rescue teams, medical personnel. Whatever is appropriate for the situation and available given weather and daylight.
Direct Communication is Preferred
If possible, the emergency responders want to talk directly to the person experiencing the emergency. The one in the field, not someone relaying information from town.
This avoids miscommunication. Details get lost when information passes through multiple people. If you can communicate directly via satellite phone or messaging, do it.
Local Resources May Be Faster
If you’re near an air taxi landing strip or in an area where local air services operate, contacting the local air taxi company directly may result in a faster response than going through official channels.
Air taxis know the area, know the conditions, and can often launch immediately if weather permits. The official emergency response system has to coordinate multiple agencies, which takes time.
However: Only do this if you have direct contact information and you’re confident the air taxi can help. Don’t bypass the official emergency system if you’re not sure.
Understanding Alaska's Search and Rescue System
When an emergency happens in Alaska’s backcountry, understanding how the state’s search and rescue (SAR) system works helps you communicate more effectively and know what to expect.
Two Pathways to Help
There are two main ways to activate emergency response in Alaska’s backcountry:
Pathway 1: SOS Button (Satellite Devices)
If you’re using a satellite communication device like a Garmin inReach and you activate the SOS button, this is what happens:
- Your SOS signal goes to the International Emergency Response Coordination Center (IERCC) in Texas. IERCC is a private company that monitors satellite emergency beacons worldwide.
- IERCC routes your emergency to the Alaska Rescue Coordination Center (AK RCC). AK RCC is based at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson near Anchorage and is run by the 11th Air Force. Alaska is one of the few states with its own dedicated RCC because of the volume and complexity of SAR operations here.
- AK RCC coordinates with Alaska State Troopers to determine jurisdiction and appropriate response. For incidents in national parks (Wrangell-St. Elias, Gates of the Arctic, Denali, Katmai, Lake Clark) or national wildlife refuges (Arctic National Wildlife Refuge), the Troopers work with the relevant federal agency.
- Resources are dispatched based on location, weather, available assets, and the nature of the emergency.
This pathway works, but it involves multiple handoffs and can take time to coordinate.
Pathway 2: Direct Communication
If you have a satellite phone or two-way radio and can make direct calls, you can contact emergency services directly. This is often faster and more effective because you’re talking directly to the people coordinating the response.
You can call:
- 911 – Routes to the appropriate Alaska State Trooper dispatch based on your location
- Alaska State Trooper dispatch directly – If you have the number for Fairbanks, Soldotna, or MATCOM dispatch
- Alaska Rescue Coordination Center (AK RCC) – If you have their direct number (907-428-7230)
- National Park Service emergency line – If you’re in a national park and have the contact
- Local air taxi service – If you’re near a landing strip and the air taxi can respond
Direct communication eliminates the relay through IERCC and gets you talking immediately to the people who will coordinate your rescue.
That said, we suggest if something goes wrong, really wrong, just go ahead and hit that SOS button.
Alaska RCC vs. National ARCC
This distinction matters.
AK RCC (Alaska Rescue Coordination Center)
- Based at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson (Anchorage)
- Run by the 11th Air Force
- Coordinates all inland SAR missions in Alaska
- Works directly with Alaska State Troopers, NPS, Air National Guard, Coast Guard, and private contractors
- Handles Alaska-specific challenges (weather, terrain, distance, volume of SAR missions)
ARCC (Air Force Rescue Coordination Center)
- Based at Tyndall Air Force Base (Florida)
- Coordinates SAR for the continental United States
- Alaska SAR missions do NOT route through ARCC – they go to AK RCC
Alaska has its own RCC because of the unique demands here. The state has more SAR missions per capita than anywhere else in the US. The terrain is extreme. The weather is unpredictable. The distances are vast. AK RCC exists specifically to handle these challenges.
Who Actually Responds
When AK RCC coordinates a backcountry rescue, who actually responds depends on jurisdiction, availability, weather, and the scope of the emergency.
Alaska Air National Guard
Helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft
Pararescue teams (PJs) – highly trained combat medics
Responds when requested by AK RCC or when NPS/other agencies need support.
AK National Guard is here.
US Coast Guard
Coast Guard Website
Helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft
Primarily coastal operations, but sometimes assists with inland missions
Often responds in southern and southeastern Alaska.
National Park Service
Conducts most SAR operations within national parks
Has helicopters and trained SAR personnel
Primary responder for incidents in parks like Denali, Wrangell-St. Elias, Gates of the Arctic, Katmai, and Lake Clark
Park rangers with wilderness first responder or paramedic training.
Contact the NPS here.
Another important resource center you can use in your trip preparation is this site.
Alaska State Troopers
Coordinate jurisdiction and logistics
Work with AK RCC to determine appropriate response
Work with local volunteer SAR teams.
Alaska State Trooper Divisions will each have their own regional office. Be sure to research which regional office is applicable for your trip, and copy the relevant contact info to keep with you.
Private Contract Helicopters
SAR companies under contract with federal or state agencies
Can respond quickly if weather permits and assets are available
Often the primary resource for remote areas or when other resources are unavailable.
Be sure you have your Air Taxi # with you.
Volunteer Mountain Rescue Teams
Alaska Mountain Rescue Group and similar organizations
Ground-based response for technical terrain
Usually deployed for extended search operations, not immediate medevac.
Who shows up depends on the situation. An emergency in Denali National Park will likely get an NPS helicopter. An emergency on the North Slope might get Air National Guard. A situation requiring specialized medical extraction might get pararescue. It varies.
Response Time Realities
Understand that response times in Alaska are measured in hours, not minutes.
Why? Here’s Why.
Distance. Alaska is vast. From Anchorage to Gates of the Arctic is over 300 miles. From Fairbanks to the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is 200+ miles. Even within a park like Denali or Wrangell-St. Elias, you might be 100+ miles from the nearest rescue base. Helicopters take time to cover these distances.
Weather. Helicopters can’t fly in bad weather. Low clouds, high winds, poor visibility – all of it grounds aircraft. If the weather is marginal, you wait.
Daylight. Most SAR helicopters don’t fly at night. If your emergency happens late in the day, the response might not launch until morning.
Coordination. Multiple agencies have to communicate, assess the situation, determine available resources, and plan the mission. This takes time.
Realistic expectations. A few hours if conditions are good and resources are nearby. Half a day if weather is marginal or distance is significant. A full day or more if weather shuts down operations or if multiple agencies need to coordinate complex logistics.
This is why prevention matters. This is why you don’t delay calling for help when it’s serious. And this is why you need to be prepared to stabilize a patient and manage the situation for hours before help arrives.
Federal Agency Role
The National Park Service has jurisdiction in Alaska’s national parks (Wrangell-St. Elias, Gates of the Arctic, Denali, Katmai, Lake Clark, and others). The US Fish and Wildlife Service has jurisdiction in national wildlife refuges like the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Both agencies have limited SAR resources.
How’s this work?
Here’s how it works.
Federal agencies coordinate with AK RCC and Alaska State Troopers. They (AK RCC and AK State Troopers) typically don’t conduct most rescues themselves if you’re inside a national park. On state land, and in federal lands (Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, for example), they will. They work with the agencies that have helicopters, personnel, and equipment. Scope, scale, availability and context will determine who runs a rescue.
Rangers may respond if they’re nearby. If there’s a ranger station or patrol in the area, park rangers or refuge staff with medical training may reach you before air assets arrive. But most Alaska backcountry is too remote for this to be likely.
Federal agencies provide local knowledge. Staff know the terrain, the weather patterns, the landing strips, and the challenges specific to each area. This information helps AK RCC and responding teams plan more effectively.
Don’t assume the park service or fish and wildlife will conduct the rescue. Assume they’ll coordinate with the agencies that have the actual capability to reach you.
What This Means for You
SOS button devices work. But if you have a sat phone, you can make direct calls, which is often more effective.
Know the Alaska State Trooper dispatch number for your area. Know the AK RCC number. Know your air taxi’s emergency contact. Write them down. Save them in your device.
Be prepared to stabilize a patient, manage the situation, and wait. Help is coming, but it’s not immediate.
If you can call 911, AK RCC, or State Troopers directly, do it. The fewer handoffs, the clearer the communication.
Every hour you wait for a helicopter is an hour the patient’s condition can deteriorate. The best rescue is the one you don’t need.
Alaska’s SAR system is extensive, well-coordinated, and staffed by highly trained professionals. But it operates within the constraints of weather, distance, and available resources. Understanding how it works helps you make better decisions in an emergency.
For current emergency contact information, consult the National Park Service, US Fish and Wildlife Service, or Alaska State Troopers before your trip. Numbers and protocols may change.
What Information to Provide
When you activate an SOS or make an emergency call, you need to provide clear, accurate information.
Emergency responders need to know:
Critical Information
- GPS coordinates (lat/long)
- Landmarks or geographic features nearby
- Distance and direction from the nearest trailhead, landing strip, or known point
- How many injured?
- How many healthy members of your party?
- What happened? (Fall, hypothermia, bear attack, drowning, etc.)
- What are the injuries or symptoms?
- Is the person conscious and breathing?
- Is the person able to walk or move?
- Weather at your location (visibility, wind, precipitation)
- Terrain (flat, steep, forested, alpine, river crossing nearby, etc.)
- Time of day and how much daylight remains
- Can you continue to send messages?
- Can you receive messages?
- Is your device battery running low?
- Don’t: “Someone is hurt and we need help.”
- Do: “One person fell approximately 15 feet. Conscious but confused, bleeding from head wound, unable to walk. We’re at N61.2345, W142.6789, 3 miles east of landing strip on shelf above glacier. Clear skies, light wind, 6 hours of daylight remaining. Can send and receive messages on inReach.”
The more detail you provide upfront, the better the response can be planned.
Preparing for Evacuation
If help is coming, you need to prepare:
Stabilize the Patient
Use your first aid training. Stop bleeding, immobilize injuries, keep the person warm, monitor their condition. Do what you can with the resources you have.
Super Important
I can’t stress enough the importance of keeping someone warm if they’re immobile. It’s a much bigger issue, even in mild weather, than you think it will be. Put ’em on a pad inside a sleeping bag.
Mark Your Location
If a helicopter is coming:
- Clear a landing zone if possible (flat, debris-free, at least 100 feet in diameter)
- Mark your location with bright clothing, a tarp, or anything visible from the air
- Have someone ready to signal the aircraft when it’s overhead (wave arms, use a mirror, etc.)
Protect the Patient from Rotor Wash
Helicopter downwash is powerful. It will blow gear, clothing, and loose items everywhere. Secure everything. Shield the patient’s face and body from debris.
Stay Low and Approach from the Front
When a helicopter lands, never approach from the rear. The tail rotor is invisible and deadly. Always approach from the front, in the pilot’s line of sight, and stay low.
Wait for the crew to signal you before approaching the aircraft.
Be Ready to Move
If the helicopter can’t land and is doing a hover extraction (short-haul, hoist, etc.), the crew will give you instructions. Follow them exactly. This is not the time for questions or hesitation.
If You Can't Get Through
Sometimes communication fails. Your satellite device might not get a signal. Weather might interfere. Your battery might die.
If you can’t call for help
- Focus on stabilization. Do everything you can with the resources you have.
- Prepare for a self-evacuation if the person can move. Slow, careful, supported. But moving toward a point where you can get help.
- Send someone for help if you have multiple people. One or two people hike out to the nearest point where they can make contact (trailhead, landing strip, ranger station). The rest stay with the injured person.
- Keep trying to get a signal. Move to higher ground, try at different times of day, keep your device charged.
Prevention is Better Than Response
The best emergency is the one that doesn’t happen.
Prevent emergencies by
- Managing the small things before they become big things
- Making conservative decisions about river crossings, weather, and terrain
- Communicating openly about discomfort and limits
- Staying together as a group
- Carrying proper emergency communication devices
- Having first aid training and a well-stocked first aid kit
Most backcountry emergencies are preventable. They result from poor decisions, ignored warning signs, or failure to address small problems early.
Judgment and prevention reduce the need for emergency response.
Summary
When to call: Life-threatening injuries, severe hypothermia, situations where the person cannot self-evacuate and their condition is deteriorating.
Don’t delay. If it’s serious, call immediately. Weather and darkness make everything harder.
How it works: SOS → IERCC → Alaska State Troopers → Coordination with NPS → Dispatch resources.
What to communicate: Exact location, number of people, nature of emergency, current conditions, your communication capability.
Prepare for evacuation: Stabilize patient, mark location, clear landing zone if possible, secure gear, follow crew instructions exactly.
If you can’t get through: Stabilize, attempt self-evacuation if safe, send for help, keep trying to get a signal.
Prevention is better. Most emergencies are preventable through good judgment and early intervention.
Alaska’s backcountry is remote. Help is available, but it takes time. Make smart decisions. Manage problems early. Communicate clearly when you need help.
Your safety comes first. Don’t hesitate when it matters.
This information is based on emergency response protocols in Alaska and the operating procedures used by Expeditions Alaska. For specific questions about emergency services in national parks, contact the National Park Service.
