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December 1, 2004
Holly Smith
Asst. Community Information Director
STATEWIDE RESPONDERS PRACTICING SWIFT-WATER RESCUE THROUGH DECEMBER 5
More than 20 firefighters from across Florida are participating this week in a swift water rescue program. The course will help responders learn to adapt to strong tidal flows that closely simulate floodwater rushing through a river or city streets.
Training runs through Sunday and is held at two sites:
- Thursday, December 2, from 10 a.m.-4 p.m., at the Florida Power and Light discharge canal in DeBary
- Friday, December 3, from noon-4 p.m., near the jetty at Lighthouse Point Park, 5000 S. Atlantic Ave., Ponce Inlet.
- Saturday-Sunday, December 4-5, from 10 a.m.-4 p.m., at Lighthouse Point Park.
“As a result of the recent hurricanes, we saw the need for trained urban search and rescue responders,” said Deputy Fire Chief Kathy Weaver. “They need to be prepared for flood conditions and the inherent dangers they present.”
As part of the course, firefighters will use rope techniques to rescue simulated victims from rising and fast-moving water. Crews also must navigate hazardous debris.
Volusia County Fire Services’ technical rescue team responds to man-made or natural events across the county when highly specialized rescue skills are needed, according to Weaver. The team is trained in rope, confined-space, structural collapse, swift-water and wilderness search and rescue.
Volusia County Fire Services is sponsoring the course. Participants include members of the Miami-Dade Federal Emergency Management Agency’s task force that provides mutual aid for urban search and rescue.
For more information, please contact Walter Nettles, public information officer, at (386) 216-2545.
Directions:
Florida Power and Light: Take I-4 to the DeBary exit and head west. Turn
left on 17-92. Turn right on Fort Florida Road. The canal will be just
across the railroad tracks.
Lighthouse Point Park: From the Daytona Beach area, take S.R. A1A south
to the end. The jetty is on the east side of the park.
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Volusia County, Florida.