New way to try to find out what that helicopter’s doing overhead: King County Sheriff’s Office Air Support on Twitter

| Helicopter | West Seattle news

(Photo tweeted today by @KCSOAirSupport)
Sometimes when a helicopter’s hovering, it’s TV – three of the four major regional TV stations have helicopters, and staff them into the early evening hours on weekdays. But sometimes, especially if it’s after dark, it’s Guardian One, the King County Sheriff’s Office helicopter that assists other law-enforcement agencies too (including Seattle PD, which does not have its own helicopter). And now there’s a new way to try to find out what Guardian One is up to if you suspect it’s what you are seeing or hearing: A new Twitter feed, @KCSOAirSupport. Even if you are not a Twitter member, you can still access that via the Web, or better yet, we’re adding it to the mix in the Twitter box on the WSB West Seattle Crime Watch page, so that you can check there.

miws July 25, 2013 (2:28 pm)

But we like coming here to ask. ;-)

Mike

WSB July 25, 2013 (2:45 pm)

Oh, I don’t think this is going to answer more than a fraction of the helicopter questions, and we will continue to welcome people calling and texting any hour of the day to ask about helicopters, sirens, gunshots, whatever. But one way it will help us is in dealing with White Center and points south for our WC site – scanner access for that area is nothing like what it is for Seattle, and they don’t have an online 911 log of fire/medic calls – so if Guardian One is on a WC/Top Hat/North Burien search, it might help us answer some of those questions and respond sooner. Yay!

Ben July 25, 2013 (3:03 pm)

I really do not think this is an effective use of taxpayer money–sorry. :(

WSB July 25, 2013 (3:18 pm)

Doesn’t cost an extra dime. Just like the chopper has to radio in to say “we’re over …” somebody taps a few lines into Twitter, which is a free service. Will likely SAVE them money from fewer people calling 911 in a panic to ask why a helicopter is over their house. Check out how they do it in Wales (UK):
.
https://twitter.com/helicops

TypoWS July 25, 2013 (3:07 pm)

Cool! Now I’m off to follow @KCSOAirSupport AND bookmark the WSB West Seattle Crime Watch page. Thank you, T.R.!!

Gene July 25, 2013 (3:29 pm)

Wow- just love how the very second post here is to criticize the use of taxpayer money– when that isn’t the case at all. Thanks WSB- for keeping us up to date & giving us the CORRECT facts.

MetPatrick July 25, 2013 (4:03 pm)

Ok this works for KCSO Guardian One but what happens when a Port Angeles type incident happens here W/O notice from DOD?

I’m still waiting for SkyNet to go rogue and have a bunch of T-1000’s running around. (sarc)

WSB July 25, 2013 (4:09 pm)

MetPatrick, I wish I’d had a chance to write about that here – we did have that Army helicopter a few weeks earlier, and the difference here – while Port Angeles is its own city, so there is somebody to represent its distinct interests in escalating something like that, West Seattle is just part of a bigger city, so there’s really no one political point person to advocate for us! Hard to believe, considering (I just looked this up) Port Angeles has all of 19,000 people, while West Seattle has more than 80,000. Time for secession again? j/k …

Mr Matt July 25, 2013 (4:05 pm)

Hey it’s West Seattle – people complain for a livin’ here like it’s their job. :D

I, for one, welcome the Chopper-Twitter even though I can’t really stand twitter.

Mr Matt July 25, 2013 (4:08 pm)

Actually, you know, I just remembered something I’ve been meaning to ask for a while now:

Does the Huey have a name or is it considered “Guardian 1” when the Bell 407 isn’t flying?

They really should go with “Guardian One” and “Guardian Jr.” :D

fiz July 25, 2013 (10:14 pm)

We haven’t tried to secede for years, even tho’ we threaten now and then. Time to try again!
Just think what we could accomplish as a separate city 80,000 strong.
.
Only half kidding.

WSB July 25, 2013 (10:23 pm)

Patrick looked this up once for some reason. Since we have over the years been asked to talk with folks across the nation about WSB, we are often asked for more information about West Seattle. Datapoint: If you picked it up and moved it to New Mexico, it would be the third largest city in that state!
.
http://www.city-data.com/city/New-Mexico.html