The Renton Fire Department and King County Fire District 20 (Skyway) joined the South King County Fire Training Consortium earlier this month, bringing the total number of member departments to seven.

The consortium provides training to over 500 firefighters and is made of departments from “Zone 3.” It was formed when fire departments began looking for ways, as far back as 2009, to become more efficient and cost effective. Zone 3 departments are those in King County south of Seattle and Bellevue (excluding Enumclaw).

All of the departments are dispatched to calls from a common 911 call center, Valley Communications, located on Kent’s east hill. The use of one dispatch center also facilitates the inter-agency emergency support.

The other members of the consortium are in Kent, Maple Valley, Tukwila,Burien/Normandy Park and North Highline.

For more information, go to www.kentfirerfa.org and click on “Media Center” for the SKCFTC video.