Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office

Air Support Unit2017 Budget Note Response

Investment in Current Air Ops ProgramEquipment Purchases 2 SCSO Helicopters

Initial Purchases by County – 1994 $5,500

County Investment in Overhauls $650,000

Homeland Security Grants to date $3,000,000

Volunteer SAR Funds to date $695,000

Total Investment: $4,350,500

Volunteer Donations

Pro bono Paramedic (Flight Medic) coverage 24/7/365 $640,000/year

Pro bono Aircrew Man Hours $385,000/year

Helicopter Hangar & Pad $36,000/year

Helicopter Rescue Team equipment $30,000/year

Fire District 26 Medical Supplies $3,000/year

Yearly In-kind Donations: $1,094,000

SCSO Annual Air Ops budget $291,164

Cost Comparison

Metric Snohomish County King County

Paid full-time aircrew (deputies) 1 5

Paid part-time aircrew (deputies) 3 8

Paid paramedics (paid by Fire) 0 9

Volunteer aircrewIncluding volunteer paramedics

31 0

Volunteer ground support team 8 10

Number of helicopters 2 5

Annual flight hours 300 1200

Annual Air Ops budget $291,164 $1.7 million

Snohomish County “SnoHawk 1”1968 Hughes NOH-6P

Acquired in 1993 for a cost of $500$400,000 in County funded overhaul completed in 2006

$874,284 in Homeland Security grants and Federally funded equipment upgrades

Snohomish County “SnoHawk 10”1970 Bell UH-1H plus 703 engine

Acquired in 1994 at a cost of $5,000$250,000 in upgrades completed in 2007

$2.2 million in Homeland Security grants and Federally fundedaircraft and equipment upgrades

20 year life extension (to 2031) from upgrades in 2011

Snohomish County Air Support Unit4 Employees

Air Support Unit Supervisor: Sergeant Danny WikstromChief Pilot/Pilot-in-Command: Deputy Bill QuistorfDeputy Pilot/Pilot-in-Command: Deputy Steve Klett (part-time)Tactical Flight Officer: Deputy Einar Espeland (secondary assignment)

38 Volunteers

Pilot: Jennifer StollwerckPilot: Travis HotsCrew chiefs/Hoist Operators: 1 Reserve Deputy, 5 VolunteersHRT Coordinator: Rescue Tech Oyvind HenningsonHelicopter Rescue Technicians: 10 VolunteersFlight Physician: Dr Ron Brown Lead Flight Medic: Paramedic Brian SchleicherFlight Medics: 7 VolunteersGround Support Team Coordinator: Wayne OrvikGround Support Team Members: 8 Volunteers

Air Support Unit Operations

2016 Flight Hours

2016 TrainingSearch and

RescueLaw

EnforcementAdmin Fire Maintenance Total

S1 6.1 25.7 13.6 9.2 1.3 18.8 74.7

S10 63.1 55.1 0 11.2 8.9 11.1 149.4

Total 69.2 80.8 13.6 20.2 10.2 29.9 224.1

2016 Projected Flight Hrs

S1 100

S10 200

Actual

Projected

Fund Cost Category 2016 Budget Expended

Helicopter Fund 141 Repair & Maint $60,000 $42,986

General Fund 002 Repair & Maint $70,000 $95,354

Fuel $40,000 $31,391

Salary & Benefits $121,164 $121,164

Sub-totals $291,164 $290,895

Air Support Unit Operations2016 Budget

2016 Total Flight Hours Cost per Hour Total Cost

S1 74.7 $452 $33,750

S10 149.4 $910 $135,981

Total 224.1 hours $169,731

Air Support Unit OperationsCost per Flight Hour (fuel & maintenance)

Options for Program Investment

• New replacement aircraft

• Used replacement aircraft

• Leased aircraft

• Contract aircraft

• County-owned aircraft

Replacement Aircraft

Replace SnoHawk 1 with Airbus 350

Single engineSeats: 6 (including pilot)Cost new: $4.5 millionCost used: $1.5 - $3 millionCost per flight hour: $637

Replace SnoHawk 10 with Bell 429

Twin engineSeats: 9 (including 2 pilots)Cost new: $8 millionCost used: $4 -$6 millionCost per flight hour: $924

Leased Aircraft

Replace SnoHawk 1 with Leased Airbus 350

Single engineSeats: 6 (including pilot)10 year lease: $531,367 per yearCost per flight hour: $637

Replace SnoHawk 1 with Leased Bell 429

Twin engine

Seats: 9 (including 2 pilots)

10 year lease: $881,450 per year

Cost per flight hour: $924

Contract Aircraft

Contract Aircraft

• Federal Contract rates for 2015

• Helicopter hourly rate includes fuel & maint. Includes one pilot. Does not include Standby time: MD 500D (similar to SCSO SnoHawk 1)

$935 per hour.

Bell 205 A1+ + (similar to SCSO SnoHawk 10)

$1802 per hour.

Contract Aircraft Limits

• Contract rate example is for flight hours only, includes 1 pilot.

• Typical contracts include additional “standby time” for standby aircraft and crew.

• Rate does not include extensive ground and tower training time and instruction with the Helicopter Rescue Team which most contractors are not able to provide.

• Decreasing ground training and rehearsals increases risk dramatically.

County-owned Aircraft

Hughes 500, SnoHawk 1

2016 Cost per flight hour:$452 (fuel & maintenance)

Bell UH-1H, SnoHawk 10

2016 Cost per flight hour:$910 (fuel & maintenance)

Investment ComparisonsType III (small)

LE/SearchType II (medium)Rescue/Firefighti

ng

Total EstimatedAnnual Operating

Cost

Annual Operating Cost in excess of 2017

levels

Replace new $4.5 million $8 million $248,500 Investment only

Replace used $1.9 - $3 million $5 - $6 million $300,000 Investment only

Lease new $531,367/year $881,450/year $248,500 $1.4 million for 10 years

Contract+ 1 pilot

$69,844/year plus standby

$269,218/year plus standby

$550,000 $250,000

Retain County Owned Aircraft*includes $50 perhour for pilot

$33,750/year* $135,981/year* $300,000 Only major, non-grant funded repairs

Recommendation

• Continue to fund existing aircraft operations program. This is the most cost effective means of providing quality Air Support operations in the county.

• Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office Air Support Unit provides airborne Law Enforcement, Search & Rescue, and Firefighting capabilities to the county.

Replacement Recommendation

• Fund and replace SnoHawk 1 Hughes 500 with Type III helicopter such as the Airbus 350

• Debt service outlay is less than or comparable to contract service rate options

• Develop plan for 2031 funding options to replace SnoHawk 10 (Bell UH-1H)

Potential Future Funding Sources

• Continue to apply for Homeland Security grantsNW Regional Aviation requested $275,000 for FY17 in grants historically used for aircraft equipment and regional joint training drills. $205,000 in grant funds approved.

• Allocate additional Federal Title III Timber Tax$128,339 allocated to Snohomish Co in FY16

• Volunteer Helicopter Rescue Team fundraiserHRT Volunteers raised $300,000 in 2014 Invested $100,000 in spare rescue hoist 2015

Questions?