(The Center Square) – As wildfire season begins in Washington state, the King County Sheriff’s Office will have more tools to better respond to blazes.
On Thursday, King County announced the addition of two new helicopter firefighting buckets that are each capable of holding more than 200 gallons of water. The new additions are part of the KCSO helicopter air unit, which is the only full-time patrol and rescue unit in the state.
According to the county, the firefighter helicopters provide a more immediate response to combat wildfires in the area, whereas the Washington State Department of Natural Resources can take about 24 hours to get aerial assets in place.
“The procurement of two Bambi water buckets significantly enhances our Air Support Unit’s ability to respond to a broader range of public safety emergencies, highlighting our commitment to serving the region.” King County Sheriff Patti Cole-Tindall said in a news release.
KCSO purchased the two firefighting buckets from the Air Support Unit budget. King County Digital Communications Specialist Kaitlyn Burton told The Center Square that the two heavy-duty water buckets cost a combined $56,987. The 320-gallon bucket cost $29,992 and the 240-gallon bucket cost $26,995.
Last month, U.S. Sen. Kim Schrier, D-Wash., requested $2 million in federal funding on behalf on KCSO for upgraded transmission, upgraded main rotor blades, and upgraded electronics for one of the department’s two rescue helicopters.
According to the written request, the helicopter in question is facing diminished lift capacity on hot days, impacted stability and lift capacity, and impacted hoist operations of multiple subjects.
“The project is a good use of taxpayer funds because it will ensure the King County Sheriff’s Office’s ability to conduct rescue operations throughout the state, respond to major disasters, and transport SWAT and specialty police units to high-risk situations,” the request states.
King County was also awarded a $340,000 grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to conduct public outreach and develop a countywide community wildfire protection plan.
Last year King County partnered with Pierce, Snohomish and Thurston counties to launch the “Ready, Set, Go!” evacuation campaign. The outreach program seeks to educate residents on how to respond to three levels of evacuations and prepares them for actions at each level.
This year, other western Washington counties have joined the campaign: Kitsap, Skagit and Whatcom counties.
Other efforts to reduce the impact of wildfires include recently hiring a forester to work with residents and small forest landowners on wildfire risk reduction.
