King County receives $1 million for rescue helicopter
Published 1:30 am Thursday, July 9, 2026
King County is receiving more than $1 million of federal funding to upgrade its search-and-rescue helicopter.
U.S. Congresswoman Kim Schrier joined the Sheriff’s Office and King County Councilmembers on Tuesday at the King County International Airport to celebrate the over $1,000,000 in federal funding that she helped secure to upgrade a rescue helicopter.
King County Sheriff Patti Cole-Tindall said their air support unit has been a key part of their office since 1991. After widespread flooding across the county in 2001, they began providing hoist rescues. Cole-Tindall said in those 27 years, they have responded to rescues in all but two Washington counties as one of three counties to offer hoist rescues.
“The King County Sheriff’s Office is extremely grateful to Congresswoman Schrier’s continued encouragement of our Air Support Unit and commitment to helping us improve our Search & Rescue efforts,” Cole-Tindall said.
The King County Sheriff’s office conducts approximately 25 rescues a year and Cole-Tindal said they are approaching their busy season.
“As wildfires become an increased threat across Washington state and outdoor recreation picks up, we need to make sure our communities can always get the help they need during an emergency,” Schrier said. “I’m proud of my work in Congress to bring home federal dollars to upgrade a King County Sheriff’s Office rescue helicopter to respond to major disasters, help with firefighting operations, and transport personnel to emergencies. These dollars, as part of the $14 million I am proud to have secured in federal funding this year, will improve the safety of our communities across the Eighth District and will ultimately help save lives.”
The funds secured by the congresswomen will allow the sheriff’s office to implement “key safety components vital to continuing this program” such as matching instrument panels in both hoist helicopters for better communications during rescues and a new rescue hoist.
“As the largest air support unit in the Pacific Northwest, this grant will allow us to continue our dedicated mission to serve people coming from all over the world to enjoy this beautiful part of the county,” Cole-Tindall said.
