The Lewisville (TX) Fire Department has been in the dive-rescue business since the early 1980s. These members are responsible for the EMS, fire, and rescue services on the 35,000-acre Lake Lewisville, which attracts more than 2.7 million visitors annually. More than 300,000 people live adjacent or have indirect access to the lake, which has marinas, restaurants, and beach areas and plays host to the Bass Masters Tournament and several other large events. It is easily accessible, located a few minutes north of downtown Dallas off I-35E. The team responds to about 300 to 400 calls a year. Over the years, Lewisville’s Dive-Rescue Team has grown to include almost 60 divers, two dive-rescue units, and two fire boats; it serves as the dive team for many communities in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.
null
The team has seen its share of challenges related to keeping members trained and properly equipped. Fortunately, the city’s administration, the mayor, and the council have provided the team with state-of-the-art equipment and have provided the funds to have team coordinators Captain Todd Staton and Engineer B.A. Reaves certified as Dive Rescue International instructors. Up to now, we have been able to train in our city’s public swimming pools and the lake. As with fire suppression training, it’s nice to be able to train a diver in an environment that is safe and controlled, as in a smoke or burn building, and then graduate to more and more difficult tasks and scenarios, preparing for the real thing in the long run.
If you are a current subscriber,login hereto access this content.
If you would like to become a subscriber, please visit ushere.
