The fire service is the epitome of adapting to the changing
environment and the needs of the community. The leadership of the fire service
continues to evaluate and meet the needs to our dynamic environments and
response districts. The fire service of 2020 is not what the fire service of
2000 was, nor what it was in the ‘90s, ‘80s, or any previous era.
The public’s interest in the fire department goes much
deeper than making sure we can handle any fire incident. We are the all-hazards
agency that continues to be tasked with greater responsibility for helping
those who live in or visit our communities. Many agencies have taken on more
increased roles with the same or even less staffing. The term “emergency
services” better defines our agencies today as we do much more the fight fires.
An area that has always received our attention is
water-related emergencies. Today, we have more options to address emergencies
on or in the water. The hazards in water-related rescues are vast and
complicated. Swiftwater, ocean, and lake and pond environments have many
different features without considering the environmental impacts.
In 2018, the Coast Guard counted 4,145 accidents that
involved 633 deaths, 2,511 injuries, and approximately $46 million dollars of
damage to property as a result of recreational boating accidents. These
accidents contributed to a fatality rate was of 5.3 deaths per 100,000
registered recreational vessels. (1)
Open water is a term that includes natural bodies of water
(lakes, rivers, oceans) and man-made bodies of water (canals, reservoirs, and
retention ponds). In 2016, open water drownings made up 43 percent of fatal
childhood drownings (2).
If your agency has any open water, you must take these
statistics seriously, complete a needs assessment, and look for ways to prevent
these incidents. Beyond prevention, you must adequately prepare for and respond
equipped and trained to rescue those in need.
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