WEST LAMPETER TOWNSHIP, LANCASTER COUNTY—
When the waters rise, these firefighters are ready.The men from four Lancaster County fire departments, Lancaster Township Fire Co., Lincoln Fire Co., Ephrata Pioneer Fire Co. and New Holland Fire Co., are keeping their water rescue skills fresh with a Sunday morning training session on the Conestoga Creek.
The creek was moderately flooded from weekend rain, creating the ideal situation for water rescue training.
"The weather and the water conditions that we have today, with the velocity and the depth, give us a realistic situation of moving someone in there, putting a rescuer in the water, and knowing what to do and how to react when we enter the water," Todd Stahl with WhiteCap Water Rescue said.
Practicing crossing the Conestoga with ropes and boats, the firefighters learn how to get to people who might be trapped in swift waters of local streams and creeks.
The Conestoga was a chilly 38 degrees Sunday morning. Stahl said it's important to work quickly to keep hypothermia from affecting victims and rescuers alike.
"One of the things we're training for today is if we had a vehicle submerged in the water, we'd have to lower people down or lower a boat down," he said.
Stahl said the firefighters are training for "high-risk" rescues, where rescuers risk their lives by entering the water to get to victims.
He said the best way to avoid being a victim is to use some common sense, especially avoiding flooded roadways if you are driving.
Susan Obleski from the Susquehanna River Basin Commission echoed Stahl.
"We always urge people, if you approach a flooded roadway, turn around, don't drown," Obleski said.
She said Monday is the beginning of National Flood Safety Awareness Week, when the National Weather Service stresses safety around swollen bodies of water.
"Springtime is the time of the year flooding is more likely," Obleski said.
You can learn more about National Flood Safety Awareness Week by clicking on the link to the National Weather Service's Website.
For more about water rescue training, check out WhiteCap Water Rescue Training's Website.
