In Alaska, where few communities are connected by road, Fish and Wildlife Service employees spend a lot of time flying in small airplanes to remote field camps and villages. So it’s not surprising that the three Fairbanks-based National Wildlife Refuges (Yukon Flats, Kanuti, and Arctic), the Migratory Bird Management office, and Service law enforcement staff share a 9-bay hangar at Fairbanks International Airport. Built in 1996, the hangar’s heavy electric doors meant high electric bills and airplanes held captive during power outages.

This year Don Carlson, Law Enforcement Officer-Pilot on Arctic Refuge, oversaw an extensive electrical upgrade of the hangar. Motion sensors were installed on all interior lights. Exterior lights were replaced with energy-efficient types fitted with light sensors so they turn on only when it is dark. Improved lighting was installed at the aviation fuel dispensing area. Emergency bypass switches were wired into each of the hangar doors, allowing them to be opened during power outages.

The work took two months of planning and inspection, and a week of labor, but it’s been worth the effort. Don estimates that at present electrical rates the upgrades will pay for themselves within six years. When the next big earthquake strikes Alaska, Fish and Wildlife Service aircraft will be available to join in the rescue and recovery efforts.