“The program is for all people who have medical conditions statewide, and the goal is to make the Yellow Dot materials available at all trooper posts and police stations across the state, as well as fire stations,” said AST Col. Keith Mallard.

The Yellow Dot Program, a voluntary program originally started in Connecticut in 2002, is a way for road and medical responders to be alerted that someone in the vehicle they are approaching has a medical condition by placing a yellow dot sticker on the patient’s vehicle.

“In a medical emergency, minutes matter,” said Mallard. “If a trooper comes upon a vehicle with an unconscious person inside, this is a valuable tool that the trooper can use to notify medics of what they will have to address when they get on scene.”

Responders will know to look in the vehicle’s glove box for information on the person’s medical condition and medications. No registration is needed since data stockpiling is not necessary. Participating individuals can provide as much or as little information regarding their condition as they want.

Yellow dot stickers and medical information cards will be handed out to the public soon. Aside from Mallard, other officials present during the event were Anchorage Police Chief Mark Mew and Anchorage Fire Department Chief Mark Hall. Aside from Alaska, 22 other American States have also adapted to the program.

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It is avalance season now, Seward Highway has them each year. Photo shows Johnson Pass avalanche in April of 2009 from Alaska State Troopers.

February first, the Seward Highway was declared temporarily closed by the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (ADOT&PF) due to the recent two small avalanches in the area. The ADOT&PF warns travelers to practice extra vigilance when traveling in the surrounding areas due to the presence of additional precipitation and warming conditions that may worsen the avalanche risk for the time being.

At around 12:30 p.m. an avalanche of two slides occurred in the Windy Corner area at Milepost 106. One slide did not reach the highway, but the second crossed both lanes and caused a temporary closure while crews worked to re-open the highway.

At one p.m. the Seward Highway was then reopened but continuous traveler caution in the area is highly advised due to the impending threat of an approaching storm system. This may affect the areas along Turnagain Arm and the Seward Highway over the next few days.

ADOT&PF are currently working on reducing the risk of damages caused by possible avalanche attacks. The department urges the public to avoid the Seward Highway despite its reopenings and unnecessary stops along the way must be avoided. In addition, drivers should expect difficult wintertime driving conditions and must drive at reduced speeds.

For the latest updates on the Seward Highway’s road condition, visit  511.alaska.gov or dial 511 on your local landline phone.

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