A 10-year veteran of the emergency services roster took over the Wrangell Volunteer Fire Department’s daily operations this month.
Aaron Powell stepped into the role of fire and EMS administrator on July 6, succeeding Anna Allen, who had managed the department’s paperwork since 2023.
Powell’s new position anchors the business side of an agency that splits its leadership down the middle.
While Fire Chief Jordan Buness retains command over active emergency scenes, tactical field training and crew readiness during dispatches, Powell handles the clerical infrastructure. The administrator position runs the department’s billing systems, patient charting, grant compliance and daily office logistics.
Adapting to the administrative workload represents a fresh challenge for the longtime first responder.
“I’m still learning the system and getting familiar with this side of things,” Powell said. “It’s a lot of stuff to learn.”
Even during the onboarding process, the new administrator is mapping out training operations for the upcoming season. He has initiated regulatory reviews for a live-fire training exercise later this year.
