Welcome to Fall!

It’s the season of yellow, orange, and red colors spreading across Alaska! As the leaves fall,  it’s a great time to get prepared for all your upcoming adventures. September is National Emergency Preparedness Month and Alaska Safe Riders is ready to help you, your family, and your friends get ready for all types of potential emergencies and disasters whether at home or on the trails. 

ASR will be at the 16th annual Mat-Su Emergency Preparedness Expo on Saturday, September 28th from 10 am to 3 pm at the Menard Sports Center in Wasilla. This free event features more than 75 exhibitors and food vendors and is great for families, individuals and all levels of skill and knowledge.

Start your fall out right by attending this free event and meet the crew from Alaska Safe Riders! You can learn and earn great tips and safety gear thanks to a host of sponsors like the Mat-Su Health Foundation, Mat-Valley Federal Credit Union, Alaska Railroad, American Red Cross, Mat-Su Borough Emergency Services, City of Wasilla and more than 75 other exhibitors.

That’s Saturday, September 28 from 10am to 3pm at the Curtis D. Menard Sports Center, 1001 S. Clapp Street, Wasilla, AK. Learn more at ready.matsugov.us

GET PREPARED FOR ALL YOUR ADVENTURES!

Join Alaska Safe Riders and more than 75 other exhibitors at the 16th annual Mat-Su Emergency Preparedness Expo. This event is free to the public thanks to the Mat Su Health Foundation, AARP Alaska, Mat-Su Borough Emergency Services, Local Emergency Planning Committee, American Red Cross, City of Wasilla, Mat Valley Federal Credit Union, the Alaska Department of Public Safety, Division of Alaska State Troopers and more than 100 volunteers.

“The goal of this event is for it to be as interactive as possible,” explained Planning Committee Chair and Mat-Su Borough Emergency Services coordinator Talon Boeve. “We want to give everyone who attends the opportunity to do things that will help you learn and get prepared for a host of emergencies and disasters.”

From avalanches to earthquakes, wildfires to power outages, floods to medical emergencies, you’ll find something for everyone of all ages and interests. You can meet the search and rescue dogs, explore the State of Alaska Emergency Command Center and much more. There will be seminars and workshops, including the ‘Prepared for the Backcountry’ session.

There’s also a poster contest for youth preschool through high school. All entries receive a free ice cream from McDonalds and the top entry in five age divisions will receive a three-day emergency back pack thanks to American Red Cross, a cash gift cards thanks to the Mat Valley Federal Credit Union, and a community service award presented by the Mat-Su Borough Assembly.

You could also win a pair of round trip tickets on the Alaska Railroad for the summer of 25 by playing the Alaska Safe Riders Scavenger Hunt. You’ll find all the  answers just by exploring the Expo. It’s free, fun and you and your family might learn something that could save your lives.

Don’t forget to join Alaska Safe Riders on Saturday, September 28th from 10 am to 3pm at the Menard Sports Center, 1001 S. Clapp Street, Wasilla, Alaska for the 16th annual Mat-Su Emergency Preparedness Expo! 

MMEET the AST team

In 2020, when the world changed for all of us, Mike Buck, the Executive Director and founder of Alaska Safe Riders, found solace from the pandemic in the solitude of the mountains. He wanted everyone to have the opportunity to experience the magic he found there. But he knew for this to happen safely, you have to learn special skills and tricks, and have the right gear. Joined by Iron Dog champions Scott Davis, Chris Olds, and Tyler Aklestad, plus Iditarod mushing champion Peter Kaiser, and riding enthusiast Dan Hall of Knik Construction, the group founded Alaska Safe Riders. They were joined in 2022 by another riding enthusiast Aaron Bartel.

 

Their mission is to promote the safe operation of off-road vehicles (atvs, snowmobiles, utility vehicles, side-by-side) and safe backcountry travel. Today they collaborate with the Alaska Avalanche Information Center and Iron Dog Race to conduct training programs all across Alaska, We hope to meet you at an upcoming training program in a community near you!  Sign up for our newsletter today to stay in touch. 

WEEKLY TRAIL REPORT IS COMING BACK

ASR wants to keep you informed about the conditions and training opportunities you’ll find each week across Southcentral Alaska. This weekly report is researched, written and produced by the ASR team. You can help ensure this information is available by becoming a sponsor or member today!

This report requies collaborators and partners to provide great resources and information to help our community have everything they need to make informed decisions. We think it’s important to continue this program and appreciate your feedback and support to make it the best report it can be! Please share comments and feedback!