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Eustis, FL
– Drivers traveling the scenic route around Lake Gertrude this week were slowed
by what initially appeared to be an emergency: almost a dozen firefighters, in
the water and on a boat, lifting a patient from the water. Fortunately, the
scenario was not an actual emergency, but part of a cooperative training program
between the Eustis, Mt. Dora and Tavares fire departments.
“The firefighters
are practicing surface water rescue,” says Lynn Zido, administrative assistant
for the Mt. Dora Fire Department, which is hosting this training session. “The
training includes rescuing a struggling swimmer, back boarding an injured
patient in the water and removing an unconscious person to a boat.”
The training, which
utilizes instructors from each department, is designed to be performed on shift,
reducing overtime costs. To make this possible, there were two training
sessions each day, leaving employees available to cover emergency calls in each
of the cities.
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“Our county is home
to thousands of lakes,” says Eustis Fire Chief Rex Winn. “By teaching our
firefighters in a real-world environment, we give them the experience and tolls
necessary to hopefully save a life in the future.”
While each of the
city’s commissions has encouraged their Fire Chiefs to work more closely, the
three departments have undertaken this joint training for more than a year.
Previous tri-city training sessions covered search and rescue, vehicle
extrication, and rope rescue from tall buildings.
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