With 30 drownings in four years in the Tri-Cities area, a brand new water rescue program out of the Pasco Fire Department aims to drastically reduce that number.
The new program will utilize on-duty firefighters in an effort to address the needs of our community.
"We have 13 miles of river shore within the City of Pasco about 3.8 square miles of water are in the city limits Pasco fire department doesn't have an immediate water rescue capability," said Chief Battalion Dave Hare.
And that's the gap the fire department is filling.
There are seven firefighters being trained on surface water rescue techniques, that translates to about 80 hours of advanced training.
That core group will then train others.
"All of our firefighters have advanced medical training - EMT, paramedic- and we're here 24 hours a day a week so that immediate rescue capability certainly is an asset," said Hare.
And it makes sense, when firefighters are always dispatched to possible drownings.
The program will cost roughly $200,000 the first year, and will even out to $35,000 to $45,000 in the years after.
But the recent change has the Columbia Basin Dive Rescue team asking where do they stand?
Columbia Basin Dive Rescue is a non-profit that's been around since 1972.
Fire department leaders say the volunteer-based group's efforts won't be thrown overboard.