VIDEO: King County’s life‑saving rescue helicopters are getting a major boost, thanks to more than $1 million in new federal funding that leaders said will pay off in safer, faster responses to emergencies across western Washington.

The money, secured by U.S. Rep. Kim Schrier, will upgrade one of the King County Sheriff’s Office’s (KCSO) rescue helicopters — part of the region’s only full‑time patrol and rescue air unit. The helicopter is a critical tool for hoist rescues in rugged terrain, wildfire response, flood evacuations, and other natural disasters.

Schrier described the investment as a deliberate effort to bring local tax dollars back home for projects that save lives. “As your representative, it is my job to make sure that your hard‑earned tax dollars come right back home for projects like this one, which will help our emergency responders save lives,” she said at Tuesday’s event.

The funding was secured through congressional appropriations, with coordination across federal, state, and local levels of government. Schrier credited strong partnerships with the KCSO and county leaders for helping make the case in Washington, D.C. that the air support unit is not just a local asset, but a statewide one.

My Northwest

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