Culture & community

For a fire or medical emergency, call 911. NSB Dispatch handles non-emergency response requests at 907-852-6111. The village fire contacts below are published for information and office questions, not emergency dispatch.

The NSB Fire Department recruits volunteer firefighters and volunteer medics in Utqiaġvik and all seven villages, and trains them (Firefighter I/II, ETT, EMT). There are also non-emergency volunteer roles — admin, maintenance, fundraising, vehicle repair. Fill out the Volunteer Application (fillable PDF) and email it to nsbfdvolunteers@north-slope.org, or call the Deputy Fire Chief's office at 907-852-0234. In a village you can also ask your local fire chief.

ICAS Emergency Management works with tribal communities on preparedness, emergency operations centers and regional coordination. For department questions, call the ICAS main office and ask for Emergency Management, extension 158.

reserve the senior center dining room for an event

The Arctic Sounder is the weekly regional newspaper covering the North Slope Borough and the Northwest Arctic — school, whaling, borough and village news, obituaries and public notices. Since 2023 it has been owned and published by the Anchorage Daily News; read it at adn.com/arctic-sounder (thearcticsounder.com redirects there) and send news tips or obituaries to the ADN Arctic Sounder reporter via the ADN contact form. For daily local announcements, KBRW radio (907-852-6811) remains the fastest channel.

The Native Village of Barrow's Wildlife Program supports subsistence food security and teaches the next generation: its Young Hunters Program trains youth in traditional hunting skills, firearm safety, camping and travel on the land and ice, and Iñupiat cultural knowledge, and the program works with the other North Slope villages on sustainable harvest. To sign a young person up or ask about harvest support call 907-852-4411 (charles.hopson2@nvb-nsn.gov), NVB office 6090 Boxer St, Utqiaġvik.

The North Slope Borough Public Health Office / Veterinary Clinic at 5000 Boxer Street, Utqiaġvik (907-852-0277, fax 907-852-0477; Monday–Friday 8:30–noon and 1–5pm) handles animal control, stray-dog pickup, rabies control and limited vet care: annual rabies vaccinations (required for every dog and cat, first shot at 12 weeks), health exams, and spay/neuter at no charge; pet adoption is free (sign the form, pay for supplies). Vet staff fly to each village twice a year — spring (late April–June) and fall (September–October); watch KBRW and the OlenHub calendar for dates. Loose or aggressive dogs, dog bites, or an animal emergency after hours: NSB Police Dispatch 907-852-6111. The City of Utqiaġvik does not issue dog licenses. NSB Veterinarian Services, 907-852-0277: animal control (stray and loose dogs, pet relinquishment, adoption), environmental disease investigations, rabies control and limited veterinary services for all North Slope communities. Hours Monday–Friday 8:30–noon and 1–5 PM; after-hours emergencies call Police Dispatch at 852-6111. (Source: North Slope Borough Health & Social Services resource guide.)

If you run a church program, a youth group, a tribal or city program, or a nonprofit in any of the eight Arctic Slope communities, ASCF's Local Grants Program funds projects in food security, education, and Iñupiaq arts, culture and language. It is rolling: requests under $35,000 are reviewed weekly, larger ones quarterly by the board. Steps: schedule a pre-application Zoom call, prepare your mission/goals/financials, apply at grants.arcticslopecommunity.org/apply, then sign the grant agreement (W-9/ACH) and report quarterly or at completion. ASCF: 907-339-6026, info@arcticslopecommunity.org, 3900 C Street Suite 402, Anchorage. Grants go to organizations, not individuals.

Utqiaġvik churches: Arctic Seventh-day Adventist Church 907-852-3446; Calvary Bible Baptist Church 907-852-2628; Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints 907-347-5515; Cornerstone Community Church 907-852-3355; Iñupiat Assembly of God Church 907-852-6101; North Gate Ministries 907-852-6262; St. Patrick's Catholic Church 907-852-3515; Utqiaġvik Presbyterian Church 907-852-6566 or 907-367-6428. Villages: Atqasuk Presbyterian Church (Paul Bodfish Sr.) 907-633-3679; Wainwright Baptist Church 907-763-2628; Point Hope Assembly of God and Nuiqsut Assembly of God (no phone listed). The Presbyterian Church in Utqiaġvik also runs a food pantry on the first Tuesday of each month at 5:30 PM. (Source: North Slope Borough Health & Social Services resource guide.)

Iñupiaq values and teachings hold deep wisdom for keeping individuals and communities well. Whether it is through time on the land, connecting with Elders, practicing subsistence, or embracing cultural values like aviktuaqatigiigñiq (sharing with others), these traditions support strong minds and hearts. The NSB Health & Social Services wellness guide lists examples of Iñupiaq wellness practices: spending time outside on the tundra or sea ice; preparing traditional foods with family; sewing, beading or carving; attending cultural events, singing, dance or drumming; storytelling with Elders; teaching youth how to be safe, skilled and respectful hunters; practicing forgiveness and gratitude; and fishing, hunting and subsistence activities. Sometimes the best way to care for our emotional health is through expression, reflection and connection with traditions, on your own, with family, or as part of a healing journey. For parents and families, the guide describes the Positive Indian Parenting curriculum, which reconnects Native families with traditional child-rearing practices, blending timeless cultural teachings with modern parenting challenges to nurture strong families, preserve traditions and empower future generations. The guide also notes that the North Slope Borough School District grounds student wellness in Iluaġniq, balancing the physical, spiritual, social, cultural and emotional domains of the whole child through Iñupiaq values. (Source: North Slope Borough Health & Social Services resource guide.)