Rehoboth volunteer firefighters train for personal watercraft rescues

Members of the Rehoboth Beach Volunteer Fire Company recently participated in an advanced Personal Watercraft Rescue Training certification course.

International water rescue expert Butch Hendrick, owner of LifeGuard System in New York, was the lead trainer for the course. The 20-hour class consisted of four hours of classroom work and 16 hours of intensive on-the-water training. Two brand-new personal watercraft that are part of the RBVFC’s water rescue program were utilized in the sessions.

Topics covered included rescuer safety and accident prevention, victim locating, victim extrication, handling and removal, and several other maneuvering exercises.

Although waterways in the Rehoboth Beach Volunteer Fire Company district include Rehoboth Bay and Atlantic Ocean, the weekend training was held at Red Mill Pond. Earlier efforts to train in the ocean and the bay needed to be postponed due to COVID-19, and during the summer season, there are too many people in and near the water to safely train in those areas.

The fire company thanks the area residents of Red Mill Pond for their understanding regarding the noise and waves caused by the training.

A group of 12 members of the Rehoboth Beach Volunteer Fire Company who already have several certifications in dealing with fire and rescue responses are now certified in this advanced rescue program for the waterways.