Contracts have been signed between the King County Sheriff's Department and the Coast Guard for the use of the county helicopter, Guardian One, to detect, map, and follow oil spills in Washington waters, including Puget Sound.

Guardian One is equipped with a Forward Looking Infrared system , which uses infrared technology to measure the relative heat of objects on the ground. Since an oil spill will give off heat that is different than the surrounding waters, the helicopter can detect and track the spill at night or in inclement weather.

"Having locally-based 'eyes in the sky' greatly enhances our ability to respond to oil spills and hazardous material releases throughout the Puget Sound area," said David Byers, who oversees statewide spill response activities for the Washington Department of Ecology. "This agreement allows us to make quicker, more effective assessments about the scope and size of a spill or release, and then mount an appropriate response."

King County Sheriff's Office Contract Cities

Beaux Arts ( Burien ( Covington ( Kenmore ! Maple Valley

Newcastle ( North Bend ( SeaTac ( Sammamish ! Shoreline ( Skykomish ( Woodinville