10/06/2026
After 31 years of service, an absolute legend joined “R” shift this week. A huge congratulations to Senior Paramedic Dave Ackland! 🫡
Dave started his EMS career in 1989, volunteering with Duvall Fire and working for Shepard Ambulance. In 1995, he joined King County Medic One with Class 22, helping put M7 in service. He spent his first five years on B Shift and the rest of his career on D Shift, which he called home until the very end.
In 2006 he became a Field Training Officer, and teaching became part of who he was. He served as an Acting Medical Services Officer from 2018 to 2020, then became a CBT Instructor for South King Fire & Rescue in 2021 and the Port of Seattle in 2023. He has a gift for teaching and expects the best from every EMT and medic he trains, empowering them to rise to that standard. Zone 3 is full of better professionals because of it.
Ask anyone who worked with him and the stories come quickly: the pranks that kept long shifts bearable, the legendary speed, and the clinical skill of an exceptionally gifted provider. He was always at the busiest medic units, never looking for the easy shift and never backing away from the hard ones. His patients and crews got his best every time.
He made the rookies more confident, the veterans sharper, and the whole crew feel like family. He also kept the beanery stocked with maple bars from Chucks Donuts after the busiest nights, keeping morale high!
None of it would have been possible without his family, who shared him with this job through long shifts and holidays. They’ve earned this milestone right alongside him. Now there’s more time for loved ones and sunny days on the golf course! ⛳️
Thank you for everything you gave to this department, your patients, and everyone lucky enough to call you a colleague. Many of us are better medics, and better people, because we got to work beside you. Congratulations on an incredible career. Enjoy retirement. You’ve earned every bit of it! 🎉
