Operations Chiefs Information

The fire suppression, emergency medical and special operations functions of South King Fire & Rescue are under the daily command of a Battalion Chief. South King Fire & Rescue has three Battalion Chiefs who supervise seven responding stations and assigned crews 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and 365 days a year.

	Battalion Chief - Chuck Kahler A Shift Battalion Chief Chuck Kahler began his career with King County Fire District #39 (Federal Way) as a resident firefighter in July 1970. On his first day of work there were ten employees; three chiefs, three dispatchers, three day time firefighters and one secretary who served a community of approximately 10,000 people with three fire stations. King County Fire District #39 responded to 500 calls for service that year. Chuck has seen three mergers of the fire district for it eventually to become South King Fire & Rescue with eight fire stations and approximately 16,000 calls for service annually. In December of 1972, Chuck began his career as a paid firefighter with Seattle Fire Department where he served primarily in the downtown corridor. In January of 1976 Chuck became a paramedic/firefighter for Seattle. He worked for SFD until July 1980 when he was hired by King County Fire District #39 (Federal Way Fire) as a paid firefighter. He continued to work as a resident/volunteer for KCFD#39 during his time with Seattle Fire Department. Chuck has served as a Lieutenant, Captain, and Battalion Chief for South King Fire & Rescue. He has been a Battalion Chief since March of 1990 and currently supervises A Shift and 39 firefighters. BC Kahler has a Technical Arts Degree in Fire Science. He still enjoys the street work and instructing fire fighting tactics and strategy. In his spare time he has restored a 1946 pumper with which he participates in open houses, parades, and fire service funerals.
	Battalion Chief Bob Stinnett B Shift Born and raised in Tacoma Washington, Bob began his career at South King Fire & Rescue in July of 1981. He comes from a family of firefighters; his father a retired Mc Chord AFB Fire Captain and his grandfather a retired Tacoma Fire Department Lieutenant. Since he began his career in 1981, Bob has served as a firefighter, Lieutenant, Deputy Fire Marshal, Training Officer, and Captain. Bob was promoted to Battalion Chief in 2009 and currently supervises B Shift Battalion. He is responsible for seven responding fire stations and 40 firefighters. In addition Bob has spent many years involved in the International Association of Firefighters. Bob has served on the Executive Board of Local 2024 since 1987 and his past board roles have included President, Vice President, Secretary and Trustee. Bob is involved in many of the department committees including the Training Advisory Group, Strategic Leadership Planning Team, Negotiations Committee and the Joint Labor Management Committee.
	Battalion Chief - Rick Chaney C Shift Richard (Rick) Chaney has been a member of our fire department for 30 years. He started his career in July 1979 as a resident/volunteer. In 1980 he became a paid firefighter and since then has served as a Lieutenant, Captain, Training Officer and Battalion Chief. Rick was promoted to Battalion Chief in 2007 and currently supervises C Shift Battalion. He is responsible for seven responding fire stations and 39 firefighters. Additionally Rick has spent many years involved in the International Association of Firefighters. He has served on the IAFF Local 2024 Executive Board and later became the Ninth District Representative of Washington State Council of Firefighters. In 2001 he became the Chair and Coordinator of the Washington State Joint Apprenticeship Program. Rick was a founding member of this program which initially began for Federal Way Firefighters. Since then Rick has been instrumental the growth of the program to become offered on a statewide basis. BC Chaney has an Associate of Technical Arts Degree from Tacoma Community College and a Bachelor of Arts from the National Labor College. He is currently an adjunct instruct at Olympic College. Rick is also a founding member of the South King Fire & Rescue Firefighters Foundation, Totem Yacht Club and Member 33rd District Democrats.

Response Information

The Operations Division responds to "all hazards" in the community. Personnel must be prepared for fires, explosions, trauma/medical related incidents, hazardous materials releases, transportation related accidents, natural and man made disasters, weapons of mass destruction (WMD), and the rescue of trapped victims. This division also responds to all manner of non-emergency calls for service to assist citizens when there is no one else available to provide assistance. These calls include pumping flooded basements, securing downed wires, providing lift assistance to the ill or infirmed and seeking out the source of potentially dangerous odors or other similarly related calls for service.

Response Types:

SKF&R responds to 9-1-1 calls with enough personnel and equipment to safely and effectively manage each type of incident. We do so by managing emergencies in a layered response model. Incidents reported through 9-1-1 which are small and non emergent, normally get one piece of fire apparatus which drives to the scene in a normal mode. Incidents which are larger, more severe and life threatening receive an emergent response of more than one fire service apparatus and resources. The amount and type of fire apparatus depends upon the nature of the incident and the equipment needed to safely and efficiently mitigate the circumstances.

Fire Suppression

The firefighters of South King Fire & Rescue are cross trained in multiple disciplines, and the delivery of fire suppression services is just one of these disciplines. In addition to fighting fires, these services include everything from controlling destructive water leaks to investigating suspicious odors, from helping with windstorm damage to performing complex rescues, and much more. The fire engine serves as the platform for delivering these services. Besides being outfitted with fire hose, water and pumps, a fire engine carries a diverse assortment of other tools that assist us with completing the many jobs we are asked to perform. This includes hydraulic rescue tools, chain saws, specially designed wrenches and hand tools, pry bars, hammers, absorbent material, traffic cones, air monitors and much more. Daily firefighters inspect and maintain their equipment to ensure that it is ready to perform when you need it.

SKF&R fire fighters always work in teams of two or more. Each of our fire engines is staffed 24 hours per day with a minimum of two firefighters and one officer. We may also respond to 911 calls in an Aid Unit with two firefighters. Also on duty around the clock is a Battalion Chief to manage all of our emergency responses and assets.

Medical Emergencies

In addition to fighting fires, SKFR provides Basic Life Support (BLS) services to our communities. Every firefighter is a state certified Emergency Medical Technician - Defibrillation Technician (EMT-D). Our firefighter/EMT-Ds are trained to deliver oxygen therapy, perform blood sugar monitoring, administer epinephrine, perform cardiac defibrillation, and identify and treat a myriad of medical and traumatic emergencies. Our firefighter/EMT-Ds work under the guidelines established by our Medical Program Director, a University of Washington/Harborview Medical Center physician.

2009 Response Statistics

	Fire		581
	Rupture/Explosion		40
	EMS/Rescue		11,077
	Hazardous Condition		253
	Service Call		1,005
	Good Intent		1,049
	False Call		1,193
	Severe Weather		13
	Other		260
	Totals		15,471

Medic Services

SKF&R also works closely with King County Medic One, regional hospitals, and private ambulance companies to ensure that our citizens receive the very best in pre-hospital care.

As BLS providers, South King Fire & Rescue is part of King County's tiered-response system, where firefighter/EMT-Ds provide initial response to 911 calls and King County Medic One paramedics provide Advanced Life Support (ALS). This layered system is internationally renowned as a model for pre-hospital emergency medical care and is funded through the voter approved Medic One Levy. In fact, SKF&R annually receives operating revenue generated through this levy.

9-1-1/Valley Communications

Some of South King Fire & Rescue's most important front-line emergency responders might never be seen by our community, yet they play a critical role in the resolution of every incident that SKF&R handles.

When a person in need calls 911, an extensive communication network is instantly activated in order to properly route the call to all of the necessary agencies for dispatch. In many cases, a single emergency will require numerous different agencies to respond to an incident with coordinated action, but without the ability to communicate directly with each other unless they are face-to-face. A simple traffic accident can require transmission of critical information between victims, bystanders, and emergency responders from municipal law enforcement, highway patrol, fire rescue, receiving medical facilities and many others, who are all operating on different communication systems.

Emergency dispatchers do much more than just send units to an emergency, they are the vital communication link between all of the pieces of a very complicated, and often life-threatening puzzle. Emergency dispatchers are highly trained professionals with specialized skills used to guide victims or callers through very difficult circumstances in order to get pertinent and accurate information. They must then use that information to make critical decisions about what resources will be needed to effectively handle dynamic evolving incidents. The dispatcher's ability to maintain contact with the victim until help arrives, and communicates with numerous units and individuals while directing countless resources to different specific tasks, and simultaneously monitoring incident progress and patient status, is truly a heroic feat.

South King Fire & Rescue is dispatched by Valley Communications which is located in Kent, Washington.

See http://www.valleycom.org/

Automatic Mutual Aid

SKF&R has formal mutual aid agreements with Pierce County, Snohomish County, and the Washington State Mobilization Plan. Because King County is such a densely populated region, it has established a regional disaster plan which emphasizes collaborative response operations. SKF&R is a signatory agency for the King County Regional Disaster Plan and King County Automatic Aid Agreements. The Washington Statewide Homeland Security Strategic Plan utilizes the King County Regional Disaster Plan's collaborative response networks for the protection of the health and safety of its citizens and firefighters. As the primary goal of these disaster plans to increase the speed and efficiency of the relief effort, SKF&R must be prepared to address any immediate requirements from a major disaster or emergency of any chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, or explosive (CBRNE) incidents.

Special Operations

South King Fire & Rescue offers specialized emergency response services to residents and visitors within the County, and when called upon, SKFR extends our capabilities beyond our borders to aid in mitigation of complex incidents at the State, National and International level. In an effort to deliver the highest standard of rescue service, SKFR has developed the following key areas of response in order to handle large or complicated incidents:

Marine Services

SKF&R Marine Services maintains a 24-hour response capability for incidents occurring on Puget Sound beaches and shorelines, as well as those occurring in our numerous bodies of water, including bays, lakes, canals and other waterways. Fire rescue personnel are trained and ready to respond to any emergency requiring accessibility via watercraft capable of handling both fire and medical rescue incidents.

HAZMAT

SKF&R maintains full-time county-wide response capabilities for the control of hazardous material (Hazmat) and toxic substance releases. Hazmat units are equipped with a wide range of protective clothing, chemical detection and sampling devices, containment devices, a materials identification computer system, and state-of-the-art communications and meteorological equipment.

Technical Rescue

Technical Rescue Team (TRT) certified personnel are emergency medical response firefighters who are specially trained in the treatment and removal of victims trapped in complex or confined spaces, such as collapsed structures and vehicles with extreme collision damage. All SKF&R frontline units carry basic TRT equipment, such as the Jaws of Life and other hydraulic rescue tools, but several units strategically located throughout the fire district are specially designated TRT units, outfitted with highly specialized technical rescue equipment and staffed with crew members certified in technical rescue response.

Urban Search and Rescue

SKF&R personnel assigned to Washington Task Force 1, a FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Team serving the northwest region of the country. Twenty-eight of these USAR teams are strategically located throughout the United States with the mission of assisting rescue operations in large scale, federally declared disasters. Each task force is equipped with a cache of equipment that accompanies them to the disaster area and contains everything from listening devices to search cameras, and includes items such as food, water, and clothing. The cache is designed to fully support the needs of each task force without outside assistance for many days. In August of 2005, SKF&R USAR firefighters responded with Washington Task Force 1 to the Gulf States in response to Hurricane Katrina.

Wildland Firefighting

Wildland firefighting involves fighting fires that burn natural vegetation such as trees, shrubs, and grass. Wildland firefighting is primarily accomplished by state and federal crews whom have specialized training to fight these types of fires which typically occur in forested lands.

In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of homes built on or near forested land. This increase in homes has created a unique situation for firefighters. Wildland fires that involve structures or have the potential to involve structures are labeled as Urban Interface Wildland Fires. The problem with these types of urban interface wildland fires is that wildland firefighters are not accustomed or trained to fight structural fires, and structural firefighters are not typically accustomed or trained for fighting wildland fires. To effectively protect structures from these wildland urban interface fires, fire engines with the capability of delivering large amounts of water and foam are required. The type of engines that can deliver this capacity of water and foam are typically used by city fire departments that fight structural fires.

In recent years, city firefighters and their engines have been called on more frequently to assist with these types of fires. In an effort to make safety a priority, all city firefighters who have the potential to be assigned to a wildland fire incident must have completed the basic training for a wildland firefighter. The initial basic training for a wildland firefighter (also called Red Card Certified) includes a combination of hands on and class room training totaling 40 hours. After completing the 40 hours of training, a written test must also be passed to become wildland Red-Card certified. After the initial training, a 4-8 hour refresher class must be taken each year to maintain the Red-Card certification.

Currently, South King Fire & Rescue has approximately 20 members who are Red-Card certified. During the wildland fire season, typically between June and October, our department can be called upon for assistance fighting a wildland urban interface fire. In the past, our department typically gets calls asking for assistance in Eastern Washington where it is typically hotter and drier, which leads to more wildland types of fire. Last year in late October our department was called upon for a monumental event. The San Diego CA area had one of its worst wildfire seasons in a long time in which thousands of homes and structures were lost. Never before has the assistance of a city fire engine from Washington been requested to help with wildland firefighting efforts in Southern California. Our department along with a dozen others from Washington felt honored and privileged to be able to help the citizens of the State of California.

Chaplains

South King Fire & Rescue's Chaplaincy Program is a valuable adjunct to the services provided by District firefighters. Several local members of the clergy are retained on a part-time basis to respond to incidents and provide crisis intervention and support to persons involved in traumatic incidents. Depending on the patient's religious convictions, Chaplains can provide either non-sectarian emotional support or assistance with immediate needs, or can minister to them or connect them with their own clergy. District chaplains carry pagers and are either dispatched automatically in case of serious emergencies or as requested by firefighters at a scene. The program places skilled crisis interventionists at emergency scenes - ensuring appropriate care - and allows firefighters to more quickly make themselves available for subsequent emergency calls.

Honor Guard

An honor guard is a ceremonial escort, often military in nature, usually composed of volunteers who are carefully screened for their ability and physical dexterity. Only those persons who are highly motivated and maintain exceptionally high standards of appearance and conduct and show aptitude for ceremonial duty are considered. The primary purpose of an honor guard is to provide funeral honors for fallen comrades. An honor guard may also serve as the "guardians of the colors". They present colors for various ceremonies and official functions. Additionally, honor guards serve as ambassadors to the public, presenting a positive image of their service, and assisting with the recruiting effort.

The South King Fire & Rescue Honor Guard is a dedicated group of members who recognize and represent those who have given there lives to the protection and safety of the public.

The South King Fire & Rescue Honor Guard was formed in 2000 and has twelve members. They are all Firefighters who volunteer their time and financial support. The Honor Guard has a high profile role in the public relations efforts of the South King Fire & Rescue. The diversity we proudly celebrate in our department is reflected in the ranks of the Honor Guard. Current members include: Capt Aaron Weeks, Capt Dave Michaels, Lt Barry Hassell, Firefighter Layne Winter, Joel Bergfalk, Wendy Chinn, Brenda Fromhold, Cortney Cullison, Travis McKenney, Chris Cahan, Ed Rickert, and Anthony John

The mission of the South King Fire & Rescue Honor Guard is to serve as representatives of the Fire Department at formal occasions as directed by the Fire Chief. The Honor Guard projects a positive image of the Department and its members by performing as a well trained professional team at local and national events. The Honor Guard is dedicated to honor, remember and celebrate active, retired and fallen Fire Department members, and their families.

In addition, the SKF&R Honor Guard is proud to offer services to Firefighters from across the state and nation. The unit has participated in events ranging from memorial services to parades, including the Mariners fans at Safeco Field and honoring our fallen in Colorado at the IAFF Fallen Firefighter Memorial.

Requirements: Honor Guard openings are posted when vacancies are created. Members must meet minimum participation requirements. The team conducts two training meetings a month and its members volunteer to participate both on and off duty.

Activity: The Honor Guard participates in several types of events. The team performs color details at civic occasions, such as public parades, sporting events and other special community events as requested. They also perform color details at many Fire Department events such as dedications, graduations, and awards ceremonies. The Honor Guard plans, organizes, and performs at funeral and memorial services for department members. The team also assists other agencies with funeral and memorial services. Members of the Honor Guard have participated in state and national events, such as National Fallen Firefighters Memorial.