Rye FD and PD held a swift water rescue demonstration Saturday morning at the Rye Boat Basin to showcase the departments’ proficiency in water rescue operations. City staff, local elected officials and a handful of residents came out early to see the demonstration.
In the wake the increased intensity and frequency of flooding events, Rye PD and FD have embarked on a multi-year initiative aimed at enhancing staff capabilities in water rescues. Extensive training sessions conducted at the State Preparedness Training Center have equipped the departments with the expertise necessary to navigate challenging rescues effectively (see MyRye.com: Rye First Responders Learn to Navigate Swift Water).
New Rye FD Captain Clyde Pitts explained that the various demonstrations are focused on rescuers considering the width of the flooded area as the most common rescue situations will be related to the Blind Brook or a local street that has fast moving water. Officials said the swift water project has brought the Rye FD and PD closer together – they have been training together, will coordinate ahead of large storm events and are able when needed to operate on the same radio frequency during an emergency.
The swift water team is overseen by Sergeant and Special Operations Supervisor Lance Hinrichs at PD and Lieutenant John Cotter at FD. Cotter explained they have dealt with situations where someone was stranded on top of a car (during a flooding event) and another where a woman was caught in the Blind Brook and was desperately holding onto a tree. The training to intended to address anywhere there is moving water.
The City anticipates the New York State Office of Fire Prevention and Control awarding Level 3 Accreditation by August of this year. Rye PD and FD say the true measure of a rescuer’s skill lies not in their ability to enter the water, but in their capacity to assess, strategize, and deploy interventions wisely, making water entry the last resort.
Watch the demonstration videos:
