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SFD Water and Dive Rescue Team
Hurricane Ike Response September 2008 [Click Here]
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 The
SFD
Water Rescue Team, located
at Engine Company 6, was
formed to provide the
means necessary to safely
rescue citizens who have
been trapped or injured in
the surrounding waterways.
Approximately 1,000 miles
of waterways surround
the City of Stockton.
These waterways are used
year round by boaters
and during the summer
months the numbers can
increase to the hundreds on
any given day.
|
 The
Water Rescue program has expanded
considerably since its inception
in 1993. The Team has grown
from a few Swift Water Technicians
with limited surface rescue
capabilities, to a fully operational
Surface and Dive Team with
the ability to provide advanced
cardiac life support. |
 All
Water Rescue Team members
are trained to the minimum
standard of Swift Water Rescue
Technician I. The Team currently
has three Dive Rescue International
Swift Water Instructors. Many
of the Team members are currently
upgrading to Swift Water Rescue
Team 2 and Swift Water Rescue
Team Instructor. Most of the
swift water training takes
place in the American River
near Sacramento, which is
just 45 minutes from downtown
Stockton. This river offers
a variety of training possibilities
from Class I rapids to Class
4 rapids. The Team takes frequent
training trips to this river
and has spent numerous hours
on the water. A full compliment
of swift water equipment is
available including; ropes,
hardware, an inflatable boat
with 30-horse power motor,
live bait PFDs, wetsuits,
and river boards. |
 Each
member on the Team is also
trained to the Dive
Rescue International standard
of Dive Rescue 1, and many
are trained to Dive Rescue
2. All Team members must first
go through Public Safety Diver,
which is taught by one of
the three Public Safety Scuba
Instructors. Then they are
brought up to the Dive Rescue
I level, which is taught by
one of the three Dive Rescue
I Instructors. The Dive Team
members are then required
to maintain a minimum of 12
dives per year. These training
dives are made in the Delta
waterways and at the University
of the Pacific Aquatics Center.
This Aquatics Center has become
the home pool for the Stockton
Water Rescue Team. The University
staff and the Stockton Fire
Department have an excellent
working relationship and the
pool allows a controlled environment
with depths up to 13 feet.
Occasionally, the Team will
travel to other locations
for open water training. These
locations include the many
lakes and rivers within the
area and also include trips
to Monterey Bay, California.
Many of these dives are made
with both rescue equipment
and recreational gear. These
dives serve as a relaxation
for many and help to build
Team pride and trust. |
 Prior
to any of this training,
Water Rescue Team candidates
must first go through a rigorous
screening process that includes,
a written exam based on the
Water Rescue Standard Operating
Procedures, a physical exam
with swim tests that requires
them to be in the water for
60-90 minutes, and an oral
board by current Water Rescue
Team members. If the candidate
passes all these phases, he
or she is then taught the
standards to be Swift Water
Rescue Technician 1. Successful
candidates will then be evaluated
to see if they will be accepted
for further training. |
 The
Water Rescue Team is staffed
24 hours a day with a 4-person
crew. The crew is assigned
to both Engine 6 and the Water
Rescue Unit. The Team has
a support vehicle, known as
Water Rescue 6. It is a 1996
Chevy 1 ton heavy-duty crew
cab. The vehicle carries 4
sets of complete diving gear
with additional tanks and
a surface supplied air cart,
an inflatable boat with a
rigid hull (mounted on top
of the vehicle), and all of
the support equipment for
a surface or dive rescue. |
 The
Stockton Fire Department has
standardized the swift water
and dive gear; personal gear
is not used while on duty.
The Team is using Viking dry
suits and Scuba Pro wet suits,
the Interspiro AGA full-faced
mask with GILL snorkel, redundant
supply valve (RSV), and Mark
7 hard wire communications.
All buoyancy compensators
(BC's), regulators, and gauges
are Scuba Pro. The Water Rescue
Team also has training AGAs
with the wireless Buddy Communications.
A surface supplied air cart
with 200 feet of hose is available
in case a diver becomes trapped
and needs an unlimited supply
of air until rescued. The
Team also has a gas powered
SCUBA cylinder filling station,
capable of filling both low
pressure and high-pressure
cylinders. |
 The
Stockton Fire Water Rescue
Team averages 30-35 responses
a year. These calls are for
both surface rescues and dive
rescues. The team will respond
with two members dressed in
full dive gear and two members
in support positions. While in route
to the call, the two members
in dive gear will decide who
is primary and who is back
up. The back up diver will
then take the roll as primary
surface rescuer. Once on scene,
the Team will determine if
the need to dive exists or
if it will be a surface rescue.
The Stockton Fire Water Rescue
Team deals only in a rescue
mode, they have two volunteer
dive teams available to handle
recovery .The response times,
within the city limits, are
usually 5-10 minutes from
call to entry into the water
and calls out of Stockton
can vary from 10-20 minutes. |
 The
standard response for a water
rescue call includes Water
Rescue 6, a Battalion Chief,
and Truck 3, the Technical
Rescue truck. The Water Rescue
Team works closely with the
Technical Rescue Team. These
two Teams, along with the
Hazardous Materials Team,
make up the Stockton Fire
Department Special Operations
Team and many members are
crossed trained in all disciplines.
The Stockton Fire Department
has the luxury of being a
permanent State Certified
Rescue Systems and Confined
Space training site; with
multiple state certified instructors. |
 The
Stockton Fire Water Department
Rescue Team is committed to
improving their ability to
serve the citizens of Stockton.
If you would like to contact
the Stockton Fire Department
Water Rescue Team feel free
write to: Stockton Fire Company
6, 1501 Picardy Lane, Stockton,
California 95203.
Or
E-mail Water Rescue Team
members Gene
Teves or Matt
Knierim. |
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425
N. El Dorado
Street
