VIDEO: Expecting more swimmers in area town ponds for Labor Day weekend, the West Hartford Fire Department had its members working water rescue scenarios as part of what’s known as “Marine One Training,” which takes place annually.
“All the members of the department do this; we run them through a classroom PowerPoint and then we take them out on the water and do the hands-on training,” Deputy Chief John Sokolowski said. Marine One, in reality, is a small but sturdy motorized raft that can be deployed on a town pond or small body of water, like a reservoir, quickly. “Labor Day is this weekend, and everybody likes to be in and around the water for Labor Day weekend, so things can happen,” Sokolowski said. “This summer, there have been several drownings across the state.” He added, “The frequency is low for this, but with the amount of bodies of water that we have in town, there is always the possibility that we would have to effect a rescue.”
“We all go through this training every year over the course of the summer,” said Lieutenant Steve Parent. “When the call comes in, we don’t have time to go over the basics; you have to know what you’re doing.” Chief Sokolowski noted that all 84 members of the West Hartford Fire Department take part in the water rescue training scenarios.
