September 2024 Plane Talk

In a partnership with the Port of Seattle, King County International Airport’s fire engines are being cleaned of PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroakyl substances, found in firefighting foam. These chemicals stick around for a long time, possibly thousands of years, and can build up in the environment and people’s bodies, causing harmful effects.  Among the health effects are developmental problems, immune system issues, and links to certain cancers. 

PFAS are man-made chemicals used in things like non-stick cookware and fire-retardant materials. The presence of PFAS is pervasive in products we use every day. From food packaging to cosmetics, cookware, upholstery cleaners, rain-resistant clothing, and even firefighting foam, these chemicals find their way into our environment and into our bodies when these products are produced, consumed, and thrown away.

King County is committed to protecting the environment and public health and this means reducing sources of PFAS pollution. King County is addressing PFAS contamination through a comprehensive approach, focusing on upstream interventions to prevent these harmful chemicals from entering waterways and our environment.

Photos above and at right: Steve Pistoll, Field Service Manager, TRS Group, in orange shirt, works to clean an ARFF engine of PFAS, a man-made chemical in firefighting foam.

“The King County International Airport ARFF unit is excited to be among the first departments in the country to utilize an advanced PFAS cleaning and remediation technology,” said Sgt. Clint Herman with Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF). “With a common goal and shared vision for health, welfare and safety, the partnership with the Port of Seattle is a true testament that when we work together there are no limits to what we can accomplish.”

The FAA has approved fluorine-free foams (F3) for use and KCIA is planning to convert to the new fluorine-free foams this year. Before converting to the new foams, existing fire engines must be cleaned and decontaminated. Fire engines used by KCIA’s ARFF unit are being cleaned at the Port of Seattle. The cleaning efforts started in August and will be complete this month. See more in a new video from KCTV. 

The technology, called PerfluorAd, is used to remove the chemicals from the trucks' parts. The recovered PFAS are then disposed of off-site, and the rinse water is treated on-site to remove any remaining traces before being recycled or sent to the sanitary sewer.

King County Airport is investing in new organic, biodegradable fluorine-free foams to use in a new plug-in hybrid electric crash rescue truck that will only be used with the PFAS-free firefighting foam. Once existing equipment is cleaned, those trucks will also use the new foam. 

KCIA is preparing an investigation plan to determine the presence of PFAS, its extent in identified areas and a remedial/feasibility study to determine alternatives, costs and preferred solutions. The process will take about two years and will be performed in accordance with the Washington State Department of Ecology PFAS Sampling and Remediation Guidance. 

The impacts from PFAS can be minimized through collective action to control the sources and limit exposure. Together, we can address PFAS challenges for a healthier, safer future. Get more information about what you can do from the Washington State Department of Health.

Photo above, right: Sgt. Clint Herman, Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting, is coordinating the cleaning of PFAS from ARFF equipment. 

Two King County International Airport employees had chance encounters last month with Lieutenant Commander Amanda Lee, the first female fighter jet pilot in the elite Blue Angels flight demonstration squadron. For both employees, meeting Lee was a powerful and emotional experience.

Silvana Vasquez, data analyst at the airport, learned about Lee by watching an Amazon Prime documentary this summer. This is Lee’s last year on the Blue Angels demonstration team, so Vasquez knew it was her only opportunity to meet her.

The encounter was completely by chance. Vasquez was helping set up for the August 1st Blue Angels employee event.

“As soon as I saw her my eyes were tearing up,” Vasquez said. “She could feel it. As soon as she saw me, she literally hugged me. She grabbed my hand.”

“It was a very nice surprise, that’s why I got emotional when I saw her,” she added.

“I told her that I am also going to become a pilot and she was a big inspiration for that dream.” Vasquez said.

It’s a dream that she put on hold a decade ago to get her bachelor’s degree. Vasquez is resuming flight lessons this month at Paine Field, close to home. Like Vasquez, Lee’s pilot experience came as a “pivot” later than many pilots. Lee originally was studying pre-med but enlisted and eventually learned to fly.

“I’ve always wanted to do this,” Vasquez explained. “I grew up loving aviation. My dad is a pilot, so that’s why I’ve always loved aviation so much.”

Vanessa Chin loves aviation as well. She has worked at the airport for 22 years, ever since she was an intern. She takes her passion for aviation home, sharing it with her daughter, Libby, now eight. Chin’s family was at the airport for the employee event and ran into Lee.

“This year was probably my most memorable year I’ve ever experienced all because by chance I ran into Lt. Commander Amanda Lee,” said Chin, Innovation Section Manager. “We went up to her and I told her she’s such an inspiration to my daughter.”

While posing for a photo, Lee put her hand on Libby’s shoulder, which made a big impact on the youngster.

“She was really great with my daughter and I,” Chin said. “We just left there beaming. My heart was so full.”

Lee understands the impact she and other Blue Angels pilots can have on others.

“This Blue Flight suit means more than just me as a person. It’s inspirational to me just as it's inspirational to the public,” Lee said on The Pivot: Amanda Lee’s Unlikely Journey to the Blue Angels on YouTube. “To inspire that next generation to do great things has been an incredible experience and I’m incredibly honored to be on the team.”

Photo above, left to right: Lieutenant Commander Amanda Lee; Vanessa Chin, Innovation Section Manager; and Lieutenant Commander Jack Keilty.

Kristin Cline, Finance and Administration Services Manager, received her Airport Certified Employee (ACE) Finance credential from the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE) this summer. 

“ACE Finance is the first comprehensive program designed for airport personnel responsible for the financial operations at commercial service and general aviation airports,” according to AAAE’s website. “It is based on federal regulations and policy, research from aviation organizations and generally accepted financial practices. Airport Finance professionals will gain a better grasp on the airport system, the intricacies of airport management and operations and the relationship to the fiscal environment to help them strategically plan, budget and allocate funds.”

Silvana Vasquez, data analyst at King County International Airport and aspiring pilot, will be featured in a new book launching this month, the fourth edition of “Latinas in Aviation.” Silvana will be attending the launch of the book in Maryland.

“I feel so honored and so lucky that I am able to be part of this,” Vasquez said. “All the profit they make off the books go to scholarships for girls that want to become pilots.”

“Ever since I came to the states 14 years ago I’ve always wanted to help more girls like me that don’t have the right resources or mentorship or knowledge (to become pilots),” she added. “This is a great way for me to start that. I would like to inspire more people like me to let them know it is possible.”

Vasquez, who is taking flying lessons after a 10-year hiatus (see related article), learned about Latinas in Aviation by networking through Women in Aviation International with her supervisor, Vanessa Chin.

“I was so inspired by them,” Vasquez said. She began following women in aviation on social media and got connected to Latinas in Aviation, a non-profit organization whose mission is to inspire Latinas with a love of aviation.

She reached out to author Jacqueline Ruiz to see if she could help in Seattle. Ruiz was touched by Vasquez’s story and asked if she would consider being featured in the next edition of the book. Some 85 Latina women have been featured so far.

“Latinas in Aviation is a celebration of the rarest women in the industry, told through stories of their triumphs, their falls and their most crowning achievements,” according to the Latinas in Aviation website. “Hear from retired veterans as well as new graduates, pilots as well as aviation aeronautical engineers, administrators, military and civilians, all with a unique passion for aviation and its impact on our world. Each author inspires, entertains and sets the stage for the next generation of Latinas who look to the sky with a dream.”

Vasquez hopes to share her dream with aspiring female pilots.

“The sky is home to the dreamers of the earth,” is her favorite quote, by Leonardo da Vinci, posted on the website featuring the book’s authors.

Thanks to a year’s worth of planning, King County International Airport successfully hosted a record number of attendees for the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE) General Aviation Conference last month. More than 130 industry stakeholders, from airport directors and employees to pilots, fixed base operators and students, came from around the U.S.

The keynote speaker was Dan Dalton, Vice President, Global Partnerships, of Wisk, which has developed multiple generations of vertical electrical aircraft. Other sessions featured the transition to unleaded fuel, emerging technologies and community engagement. Los Angeles Word Airports, well known for their robust community engagement, led a session on the topic.

“They’re doing a lot of the same things we are,” said Dave Decoteau, interim Airport Director. “They’re getting to festivals and other community events. That was the biggest takeaway, was getting out to community events, having a booth, talking about the airport.”

Matt Sykora, Airport Business Manager, moderated a panel, “Business Aviation Today: Innovations and Trends.”

Along with Sykora, Vanessa Chin, Innovation Section Manager; Sean Moran, interim Airport Deputy Director and Silvana Vasquez, Data Analyst, were part of the planning team.

“It’s a heavy lift and a lot of work,” Decoteau said. “They all did an amazing job putting things together.”

Several airport staff attended as well.

The conference kickoff on Sunday, August 4, was viewing of the Blue Angels airshow.

“People loved it,” Decoteau said. “It was a beautiful day. A lot of folks haven’t been to Seattle before. Everybody was blown away by how nice it was.”

While most sessions were held at a hotel in Renton, the conference also included an evening at the Museum of Flight and a tour of KCIA.

Thank you to all those who joined the second open house for the Vision 2045 Airport Plan and Part 150 Noise and Land Use Compatibility Study on September 4. The open house focused on Part 150 Study, a voluntary Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) noise study to measure how much airplane noise is affecting noise exposure for people on the ground. The study will update KCIA's noise exposure maps and noise compatibility plan.

Couldn’t make it? Visit our website to learn more, read summaries from past outreach, and sign up for email updates. You can also share your thoughts with us. 

If you have questions about these projects, please contact KCIACommunityOutreach@kingcounty.gov.