About

The firefighters of the Valley Regional Fire Authority are cross trained in multiple disciplines, and the delivery of fire suppression services is just one of these disciplines. In addition to fighting residential, commercial and wildland fires, firefighters are called upon to control destructive water leaks, investigate suspicious odors, help with storm damage, perform complex rescues, and much more.

A 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. These include hydraulic rescue tools, chain saws, specially designed wrenches and hand tools, pry bars, hammers, absorbent material, traffic cones, air monitors and much more. Every day the firefighters inspect and maintain their equipment to ensure that it is ready to perform when you need it. In addition, more complex equipment is maintained either through outside vendors or specially trained firefighters. For example, Firefighter/Respiratory Specialists are responsible for the maintenance and testing of all self-contained breathing apparatus.

VRFA 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 Captain. We may also respond to 911 calls in an Aid Unit with two firefighters. A Battalion Chief is on duty around the clock to manage all emergency responses and assets.
Occasionally the VRFA may partner with neighboring fire response organizations for incidents requiring a large number of personnel and equipment. This collaborative approach maximizes resources and saves tax dollars.

Wildland Firefighting: The VRFA maintains several members with specialized wildland firefighter training as well as equipment. This training is beneficial for wildland/urban interface fires in our service area as well as throughout the state and country, in fact our personnel have assisted with several wildfire mobilizations in Washington, Oregon and California.

Urban Search and Rescue: The VRFA has 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.

Training: The VRFA is a partner in a multi-department training consortium, the South King County Fire Training Consortium (SKCFTC). This concept combines the training resources of several local fire departments to design, develop and deliver training that meets fire service industry standards and makes operations more consistent across agencies that may respond to emergencies together. Training is provided in the areas of auto extrication, live fires, emergency medical services, mass casualty incidents, technical rescue, confined space rescue, hazardous materials, rope rescue, trench rescue and more.

In addition to fighting fires, the VRFA provides Basic Life Support (BLS) services to our communities. Every VRFA firefighter is a state certified Emergency Medical Technician and 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. VRFA firefighter/EMT-Ds work under the guidelines established by our Medical Program Director, a University of Washington/Harborview Medical Center physician.

VRFA aid units are staffed around-the-clock with two firefighter/EMT-Ds, and our engine companies have a minimum of three firefighter/EMT-Ds available 24/7. The VRFA 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, the VRFA 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 internationally renowned system is widely considered a model for pre-hospital emergency medical care and is funded through the voter approved Medic One Levy. In fact, the VRFA annually receives operating revenue generated through this levy.

The VRFA serves a diverse geographic area that includes steep ravines, lakes and rivers and a significant industrial community. We are often summoned to provide specialized rescue services in these unique areas, so maintain specially trained firefighters and tools to meet these demands.

The VRFA provides resources to a regional response group that routinely responds throughout South King County and North Pierce County. These responses to high risk/low frequency events, such as water rescue, are coordinated between several different emergency response agencies. Many agencies in South King County provide surface and swift water resources while the VRFA and Renton Regional Fire Authority are the only two agencies that provide self-contained underwater breathing apparatus (SCUBA) trained personnel.

The VRFA Technical Rescue Division maintains 12 trained rescue specialists, divided among four operational shifts that are proficient in rope rescue, surface water, swift water and dive rescue operations. These specialists complete required certifications and training for technical rescue in addition to all other mandatory firefighter and EMT training.

In addition to technical rescue operations, the VRFA also responds to hazardous materials spills and releases with firefighters trained to respond to the initial stages of the incident. If a significant hazardous materials incident occurs within our response area, we rely on assistance from other South King County fire departments who maintain trained hazardous materials technicians to mitigate these larger spills and releases.

In our daily role of providing emergency services, we bear witness to extremely stressful situations and sometimes tragic outcomes. These events are difficult for both the families involved and our emergency responders.  To help those who are experiencing this crisis-related trauma, local volunteer faith leaders have partnered with the VRFA and local police departments to create a chaplaincy program.

After passing the necessary background checks, Chaplains receive training regarding emergency response procedures and are introduced to staff at both fire and police agencies.  Once properly prepared, they are added to the list of chaplains available for dispatching to emergency scenes when needed.

A Chaplain may be called out day or night, to the streets, into homes or local businesses.  There may also be a need to go beyond the support provided at the original scene, providing follow-up care or conducting a memorial service.

Chaplain Jay Coon, who has served many years for both fire and police, described the position in these words:

“Chaplaincy is about being called to serve humanity in the time of greatest need. To humbly comfort, care and counsel those who are experiencing a variety of trauma during an unprepared crisis.  Chaplains also serve alongside men and women in uniform, to provide encouragement, support, or sometimes just a listening ear. To serve in such a capacity is a deep honor and an incredible opportunity.”