Bellevue residents who hike Snoqualmie Pass, ski Stevens Pass, or live in flood-prone areas will benefit from faster, more reliable helicopter rescues.
The money, secured by U.S. Rep. Kim Schrier through congressional appropriations, will pay for a new rescue hoist, matching instrument panels in both of the sheriff's hoist-equipped helicopters, and transmission and electronic upgrades that improve firefighting response speed and lift capacity.
The KCSO Air Support Unit is the only full-time patrol and rescue air unit in Washington state, according to Schrier's congressional funding request.
It covers everyday emergencies in East King County, including Bellevue, and backcountry rescues from Snoqualmie Pass to Stevens Pass.
The helicopter being upgraded faces diminished lift capacity on hot days, reduced stability, and limited ability to hoist multiple people at once, according to the congressional funding request.
Schrier originally requested $2 million for the program; the final appropriation was more than $1 million.
"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," Schrier said at the announcement.
King County Sheriff Patti Cole-Tindall, who spoke at the July 7 event, said the air support unit has been flying since 1991 and began hoist rescues in 2001 after devastating flooding.
Since then, the unit has performed rescues in all but two counties in Washington. Cole-Tindall called it the largest unit of its kind in the Pacific Northwest and noted King County is one of only three counties in the state offering hoist rescues.
King County Council Chair Sarah Perry, whose district spans East King County's mountain corridors, pointed to historic flooding, "bomb cyclone" storms, and the Bolt Creek fire as reminders of how essential the helicopters are.
Councilmember Stephanie Fain also backed the funding, underscoring how quickly emergencies can unfold in South King County.
The unit supports search and rescue for hikers, skiers, rafters, and campers in terrain directly accessible from Bellevue and the Eastside. It also responds to urban emergencies and transports SWAT teams to high-risk situations.
No timeline for completing the upgrades has been announced.
The funding was authorized under Section 501 of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act. Residents can contact Rep. Schrier's office or the King County Council for updates on the program's progress.
In January 2025, the unit conducted a night hoist rescue of injured skiers at Stevens Pass. Deputy Tony Mullinax told FOX 13 Seattle at the time that the helicopter got patients to Harborview Medical Center "in a matter of hours, instead of a matter of, probably, days if we had to walk in and get them."
