Boat Crews from Lawrence County and Randolph Counties joined over 300 other participants this year at the 13th Annual Arkansas Fire Boat School at Lake DeGrey. The Lawrence County Sheriff’s Dive Team, Strawberry Fire Department and Pocahontas Fire Department Dive Team all made the trip this year to attend the training.
On Friday all attendees received Landing Zone Training and were briefed on the scenerios they would be involved with on Saturday. Boats were divided up into two catagories, Large and Small Boats. Large Boats with firefighting capabilities were stationed on DeGrey Lake and Small Boats went to the Caddo River. Small Boats responded to multiple training stations and simulated emergencies including victims in water, trees and vehicles. They also completed several basic skills classes all done in the swift water. Once these task were completed, small boats then reported to Lake DeGrey where they were included in scenerios with the Large Boats.
Each year trained boat crews from our area recuse stranded swimmers and floaters in the area as well as respond to swift water emergencies making training a necessity for emergency boating operations. The Arkansas Fire Boat School is hosted by the Arkansas Forestry in conjunction with the Arkansas Game and Fish.
For more information on the Arkansas Fire Boat School, they are on Facebook at facebook.com/Arkansas-Fire-Boats. For more information on the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Dive Team visit www.lawrencecountysheriffsoffice.com .
