When Mother Nature lashes out, the LAFD Swift Water Rescue Team is always at the ready. Unrelenting rains, monster storms and devastating downpours can cause the Los Angeles River to swell far beyond its banks. The raging and rapidly moving water poses a multitude of dangers, some potentially deadly. Thankfully, the Swift Water Rescue Team is well prepared and outfitted with the latest and most efficient equipment that helps save lives as well as keeping first responders safe.
It’s on the American River in Folsom California, where we get an insider’s look at how the team trains. Members of this elite squad are at the top of their game when it comes to rescue efforts and they readily admit, the job is made infinitely easier when they’re utilizing the proper watercraft. Watch to see why Jet skis and SeaStrikes are welcomed additions to the team’s must-have list.
Power and Speed: Jet Skis and SeaStrikes
You might think of the SeaStrike as the younger cousin of the Jet ski, but designed with extra stability, more agility and less concern of tipping over. In addition to their unmatched speed and supercharged power, these indispensable pieces of equipment also have the ability to transport victims or members of the crew to safety. It’s as simple as climbing or being pulled onboard or attaching a rescue basket to the back for anyone incapacitated.
The team incorporates a small fleet of Jet skis and SeaStrikes in the training and eventually in the real world. Whether in dynamic moving water or in shallow, still water, learning and mastering the handling and hovering is key. Having complete control in a chaotic situation can be the difference between a successful operation and a disaster.
Being a first responder, of any kind, is an inherently dangerous job, but tackling a swift water rescue is one of the most dangerous assignments. The water is just unpredictable and unseen debris, natural rock formations below the surface and an endless array of underwater vegetation and aquatic plant life, only adds to the potential peril.
The team has to conquer all the elements while often risking their own lives while attempting to save others. Jet skis and SeaStrikes are just some of the tools, in the arsenal, that help make the job possible.
By Patrick Stinson
