Two helicopters landed in downtown Port Townsend on Saturday, October 14. Life Flight came from their base on Whidbey Island, and AirLift Northwest from their base in Bellingham.

The arrival of the two helicopters was a display of redundancy in the emergency system. Either company can be dispatched based on an evaluation of a patient by paramedics at the scene, or the availability of the closest helicopter.

After further evaluation by a flight nurse, the patient can be taken to one of several hospitals including the Level 1 Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, according to Diego Zuniga, Flight Nurse with AirLift Northwest.

The demonstration in Port Townsend was part of the East Jefferson Fire Rescue 2023 Fire & Rescue Fest. A half dozen fire trucks were present, along with safety demonstrations.

One of the trucks was a 1929 Mack fire truck, the first motorized fire truck in Port Townsend, according to East Jefferson Fire Rescue Chief Bret Black. The truck is part of a collection owned by local resident (and fireman) Justin Clouse.

According to Chief Black, the Port Townsend Fire Department was formed sometime around 1872, a year after the Great Chicago Fire. At least that’s how far back local records go. There was a receipt from that year for the purchase of hay for horses that pulled the fire fighting wagons of that era.