Boeing Field Fire Dept?

[sffire]

Is King County International Airport Boeing Field protected by Boeing Fire Department and/or by King County Fire Department? Do they both have structural and ARFF?

Thanks,

 

[RadioVoice]

Once upon a time, Boeing Field Security and Boeing Field Fire were both part of a Department of Public Safety - type agency where all the Security folks were cross trained as ARFF folks. A few years ago there was some sort of merger, but I don't know if all the security folks became Sheriff's Deputies, but all working there are Deputies. I used to go to grade school with their Captain, who has since retired from the Sheriff's Office, and last I heard all the Deputies working there are cross-trained in ARFF. Last I heard they do ARFF only, and all the structural work is done by Seattle Fire, Tukwila Fire, and Boeing Company Fire.

 

[sffire]

On Google, and Google maps, they show a Boeing Fire Station and two blocks away is a Kings County Station. Just wondering it that's correct. Both have ARFFs.

 

[zerg901]

Memphis Airport has 1 city fire station and 1 Fed Ex fire station.
Hanscom AFB in Massachusetts has 1 Port Authority fire station and 1 USAF fire station.
Bradley Airport in CT has 2 airport authority fire stations and 1 military fire station.
Hampton International in Virginia might have a city fire station and a airport authority fire station.
Phoenix International Airport has a city fire station and maybe a National Guard fire station.
Milwaukee International Airport has a county fire station and a military fire station.
(Might not be 100% correct here but just pointing out that this not totally unheard of)

 

[RadioVoice]

On Google, and Google maps, they show a Boeing Fire Station and two blocks away is a Kings County Station. Just wondering it that's correct. Both have ARFFs.

The King Co. station belongs to the international airport, whereas the Boeing Station is owned by the Boeing Company. More than likely both stations would send apparatus to anything happening on airport property.

Back in the 80's, I had Tukwila Fire at a gasoline tanker fire in the middle of S/B I-5 just north of I-405. They asked me to send an crash truck from Boeing Field, but S/B I-5 was a solid parking lot for about 10-miles, so instead, I called for a Crash Truck from SeaTac International. They dropped down SR-518 and headed N/B on I-5, stayed in the left lane, and hit the gasoline tanker / roman candle with their deck gun from across the jersey wall.

 

[sffire]

Same Airport, two fire departments I'd guess.
Thanks for answering my question.

 

[im800mhz]

Boeing has their department for insurance reasons. KCSO handles the primary ARFF duties for the entire Airport, but will call Boeing for MA on anything serious. KCSO would be the IC, while Boeing assists.

Congrats RadioVoice on the retirement. Good timing!

 

[sffire]

Got it now. Thank you everyone for the information. I know I came to the right place. It totally makes sense that Boeing would have their own especially for the new planes they are trying out.

 

[tmfok7]

Once upon a time, Boeing Field Security and Boeing Field Fire were both part of a Department of Public Safety - type agency where all the Security folks were cross trained as ARFF folks.

We were never crossed trained as Firefighters at BFI. That was strictly the Boeing Fire Dept job. We did get dispatched to some of their calls but that was mostly to assist outside agencies (Seattle Fire, Tukwila Fire) to maneuver through the property when they were dispatched to the call. The city limits of Seattle and Tukwila runs through about the middle of Boeing Field dividing the north and south ends.

Boeing Security once upon a time did have special commissions thru the King County Sheriffs Dept. however they were commissioning all the Security people from Everett to Auburn/Fredrickson thru King County until they figured out the commission in King County is no good in Sno or Pierce counties so they dropped it in I believe the late 90's.

Boeing Field is technically The King County International Airport and as [im800mhz] said, the airport firefighters are King County Sheriffs deputies. They carry their bunker gear in the back of their patrol vehicles when doing LE duty.

The airport fire dept is the primary however they would let the Boeing people handle their own calls on company property unless otherwise requested. In instances where there were incidents like an A/C coming into the airport which was not a Boeing A/C and had declared an in flight emergency, King County would take care of it but keep Boeing Fire apprised of the situation in case they were needed. Boeing did have access to some of the Mutual Aid channels in the King County radio system but none of them, that I knew of, had access to the company radio system with the exception of Seattle Fire E27 there on Myrtle St. at Ellis Ave on the north end of the field and that was only because the company gave them a portable radio to use in the engine when responding to calls on company property....if they didn't lose it!

Security for all Boeing facilities in Puget Sound is now contract (rent a cop) security and has been since about 2017.

I know this because I worked Security for them for 27 yrs and the last 10 yrs (left in Jan 15) was at Boeing Field and the Duwamish Corridor.