FORT WAINWRIGHT, Alaska – Soldiers and civilians across Medical Department Activity-Alaska put down their stethoscopes, shut down their computers and stepped outside with a different mission Feb. 27: clearing parking lots to ensure patients could safely access care.
When nearly three feet of snow fell on Fairbanks in less than a week, followed by temperatures plunging to 30 below zero, the installation faced a challenge even seasoned Alaskans could appreciate.While Fairbanks is no stranger to winter, consecutive heavy storms made it nearly impossible for the Department of Public Works or the Bassett Army Community Hospital facilities team to keep pace with snow removal.
Knowing there was an issue with the parking lot, leaders in the organization were outside assessing the situation and formulating a plan when Cmd. Sgt. Maj. Lori Jackson said they witnessed firsthand the severity of the issue.
“I saw a woman struggling to push a child in a stroller through the deep snow,” Jackson said. “That’s when I knew we didn’t have time to wait for equipment; we needed to get something done, and quickly.”
After assisting the patient with the stroller, Jackson, recognizing the safety risk to patients and staff, reached out to the company commander, Capt. Kieran Steele. One email later, nearly 100 military and civilian volunteers, ranging from privates to colonels, and administrative staff to surgeons, answered the call.
Armed with personal shovels, snowblowers and even four-wheelers equipped with plows, the team descended onto the parking areas.
Because the emergency room operates 24 hours a day, its parking lot is never empty, preventing larger equipment from clearing snow between vehicles. In some areas, more than 18 inches of packed snow had accumulated between cars, requiring hours of shoveling by hand in subzero temperatures.
What unfolded that afternoon was more than a snow-removal effort, Jackson said. It was a visible demonstration of the military medical community’s commitment to those they serve.
“Rank and specialty gave way to teamwork and shared purpose,” Jackson said. “To know our staff pulled together and volunteered their time after their shifts to ensure safe passage for expectant mothers, elderly patients, families with small children and emergency responders alike is what MEDDAC-AK is all about.”
Even in extreme conditions, the mission of MEDDAC-AK remains the same: take care of people.
| Date Taken: |
02.27.2026 |
| Date Posted: |
03.25.2026 14:49 |
| Story ID: |
561306 |
| Location: |
FORT WAINWRIGHT, ALASKA, US |
| Web Views: |
25 |
| Downloads: |
0 |
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This work, Nearly 100 Answer the Call to Clear Snow, Protect Patients, by Brandy Ostanik-Thornton, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
