KING COUNTY, Wash. —
As the wet season begins, King County is preparing its flood patrol teams for flood monitoring by getting the staff trained in swift water rescue skills.
Various King County employees from multiple departments join forces in the winter and spring to staff the 24/7 monitoring teams that are sent out when King County rivers experience moderate or worse flooding.
“So that’s when we go out and we’re checking our facilities to make sure they’re not failing, there’s no overtopping of the levees, they’re all structurally sound and we don’t have to evacuate individuals,” said Seth Oakes, who works in King County River and Floodplain management.
The crews are sent out to patrol in some of the worst weather conditions, so their own safety is top of mind.
“We're planning for the worst-case scenario. If it does flood, we just need to be ready to have teams go out there and work,” said Oakes.
Oakes is one of the instructors leading the swift water rescue training. The attendees practiced crossing a rising river without getting knocked over, swimming through rapids and getting yourself out, and also throwing a rescue rope.
“The first time you throw a throw bag shouldn’t be to save someone’s life,” said Oakes during the training.
The leaders agree that with a changing climate and more drastic weather extremes, these trainings are crucial, especially as a La Niña pattern is expected this winter.
“Storms come faster, they come more frequently, they hit with more veracity,” said Oakes.