Did you know that all Aircraft Rescue Firefighting (ARFF) employees at King County International Airport are Emergency Medical Technicians? And that they all take quarterly training to maintain their EMT certification?

“ARFF provides many critical services to the employees, tenants, and visitors of the airport,” said ARFF Chief Greg Thomas. “They take pride in keeping those skills sharpened.”

The most recent training took place June 29 and July 6. Topics included Epinephrine injection for anaphylactic shock, donning/doffing medical personal protective equipment (PPE), infectious disease prevention, and a “full-dress rehearsal” of a simulated cardiac arrest.

During the training scenario, ARFF deputies practiced radio procedures to summon mutual aid support, coordination with Airport Operations, and most important: high-quality CPR with an automated external defibrillator (AED).