Anchorage Fire Chief Jodie Hettrick plans to retire this summer Published March 3
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Print article Anchorage Fire Chief Jodie Hettrick said Wednesday that she plans to retire at the end of June. Both Hettrick and Anchorage Police Chief Justin Doll will retire from the municipality as a new mayor is elected. It’s common practice for incoming mayors to replace fire or police chiefs and Hettrick said she is viewing this as an opportunity to retire after spending 34 years working in emergency services. Hettrick was appointed chief by former Mayor Ethan Berkowitz in 2018. She joined the department in 2012 and has served as assistant chief, then deputy chief. She took the helm at the department after previous chief Denis LeBlanc retired.
Part 2 of 6 If you were born anytime in the last 60 years, you were probably taught from a young age that in an emergency, the very first thing you do is call 911. Dial that three-digit number from nearly anywhere in North America and you’ll be connected to a local public safety answering point, or PSAP, from which dispatchers can send police, fire and EMS units to help you with whatever your emergency may be. But what if your emergency isn’t a crime or physical ailment? Is the emergency response system really equipped to provide meaningful aid to someone who is experiencing a behavioral health crisis?