Ongoing work to protect Green River Valley residents from potential flooding this winter by lining levees with giant sandbags had an unintended consequence: The Kent Fire Department lost access to its Green River emergency rescue boat launch when the sandbag wall went across the road that leads to the launch.

King County Parks came to the rescue by working with the fire department to improve an existing road in North Green River Park and providing emergency responders with drive-up access to the riverbank. Thanks to this quick work, the rescue boat can be launched for rescue training or an actual emergency response.