With many families in Bakersfield out on the water on Labor Day, the Swift Water Rescue Team for the Bakersfield Fire Department was quite busy.
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00:00 Well, topping our news in this half hour, many families in Bakersfield spent the
00:03 Labor Day weekend on the water and the Swift Water Rescue team with City Fire
00:07 was quite busy. Yeah, 23 abc's Steve Verhan shows us that while on patrol
00:14 they use their time on the water to better their response times for when it
00:18 counts.
00:19 When it's time to save a life or prevent danger in Lake Ming
00:29 Bakersfield Fire Captain Ben Hengler says an increase in staff allows for
00:33 Swift Water Rescue teams to patrol various areas. You want me to tell you
00:38 or they're not just cruising around. We always take the opportunity to train if
00:43 we can. Um, so while we're out here patrolling, we'll perform maneuvers that
00:48 that we would, you know, utilize in a rescue situation. Engler says this is a
00:53 unique year because of the abundance of rain that came that has resulted in
00:57 various water levels providing a different dynamic when it comes to
01:00 rescues. The biggest thing is just being able to be adaptable, being dynamic in
01:06 terms of our responses and our equipment and how we use different equipment.
01:10 Being mentally prepared to be doing things on the fly and changing up
01:17 tactics quickly in an environment that that changes almost by the second. While
01:22 he didn't have an exact number yet for rescues this weekend, Hengler said they
01:26 did see some action on the water. We always hope that, you know, we don't
01:30 have to rescue anybody. That means everybody's been safe. But I like to say
01:34 that if there is an opportunity, I hope that I can be there to help.
01:37 That's bad news. No, you know, at the end of the day, it's just helping
01:43 somebody just as if you were to, you know, help someone on the side of the
01:47 road that was stranded. But it's very rewarding, fulfilling to be able to help
01:52 somebody in a time of need like that. Steve Vierhen, 23 ABC News, connecting you.
01:57 Thank you.