Bazetta Fire Department touches up water rescue skills
BAZETTA, Ohio (WKBN) — The Valley is home to several lakes and rivers, making it great for boating, kayaking and all sorts of summer activities — but if something goes wrong, first responders need to be trained in swift water rescues.
Members of the Bazetta Fire Department touched up their water rescue skills on Sunday at Mosquito Lake Outflow. A group from Rescue Training Specialists in South Carolina was invited to Ohio to help those in the department.
'We do have a number of river systems in the area, whether it be the Grand River, the Mahoning River, and of course, the outflow here at Mosquito Creek Reservoir,' said Bob Wasser, head of the water rescue division at the Bazetta Fire Department.
It's the first year the specialists have made a trip up north. They trained 13 members of Bazetta Fire, teaching them the fundamentals of water rescue training. Firefighters learned how to make rescues without getting in the water and how to stay clear of obstacles.
'If they get caught in the environment or in the water, they can save themselves. Before you can save anybody, you have to learn how to save yourself,' said Ricky Burgess with Rescue Training Specialties.
Local officials say it gives the department another resource.
'That's vital to be taught by people who have actually been on those emergencies, so it's very important to have them here,' Wasser said.
Standard training is required every three years, but the more you train, the more comfortable you'll be. Those who participated say it was a great experience.
'They practice this all the time. So, having these guys come up here and be working with us and giving us some knowledge that we might not be able to come across from guys that don't do it all the time. It was very good training,' said Zack Hileman with the Bazetta Fire Department.
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