Practice makes perfect
Lifeguards and firefighters teamed up last week to practice marine rescue operations off Bradenton Beach. In one drill, they located a “victim” in distress in shallow water, rescued him on a longboard, stabilized him on a backboard in case he had spinal cord injuries and transported him to the Longboat Key Fire Rescue Department's boat for transport to land and a hospital.
Above, Manatee County Marine Rescue Division Capt. Joe Westerman tells Longboat Key Fire Rescue Department Deputy Chief Sandi Drake how to position herself on a rescue longboard.
Right, Longboat Key Fire Rescue Department firefighter/paramedic
Daniel Heath, in front, and firefighter/paramedic Jim Reynolds paddle out to rescue a "victim" in practice exercises.
On the cover, Lt. Rex Beach, of the Manatee County Marine Rescue Division, pulls lifeguard Derek Bill on a sled to the site of a drill.
Cindy Lane | SUN
Emergency responders from the Manatee County Marine
Rescue Division worked with the Longboat Key Fire
Rescue Department last week off Bradenton Beach in
water rescue training exercises.