Due to the increase in severe weather, flooding is becoming more common in cities, which is why Thursday’s helicopter water training is crucial.
Specially trained water rescue teams shared their expertise with local emergency responders from Lake City and surrounding fire departments on Thursday. Their goal: to make complicated rescue operations safer for everyone involved.
When a person is stranded in the water or air, rescue efforts are complicated and dangerous. The Pennsylvania Helicopter Aquatic Rescue Team, or “HART,” is a highly specialized group that operates from aerial platforms. On Thursday, they were in Lake City, teaching local first responders how to effectively coordinate with them.
“They can do rescues from the water or from the air with our partners in the military, the PA Army National Guard. That’s why we’re here today to work, to integrate and test our capabilities so we can respond to anything from large-scale inland flooding to a normal rescue, almost like a cat out of a tree,” said Greg Davis, director of PEMA Special Operations Forces.
HART conducts monthly trainings throughout the state, which have become increasingly important due to the increasing frequency of extreme weather events.
“This is about urban flooding. We see how much rain is falling. We need to make sure first responders are safe. And we provide them with a safety net,” said Scott Grahn, senior strike leader for PA HART.
“You will learn how to effectively rescue someone from the water, whether it be a lake, a river or inland flooding. How to transfer the person from their boat to the HART team who will conduct effective rescue operations from an aircraft,” he continued.
While this training is great, you can make decisions to prevent these teams from having to perform dangerous and unnecessary rescues.
HART’s top strike leader urged drivers to turn around when approaching a flooded road.
“Planning saves time, money and lives. And it benefits citizens. They make good decisions and our rescue workers are not put in danger,” Grahn continued.
Thursday’s training took place near Elk Creek Access.
