Water Response Team

The Milford Fire Department utilizes various specialized teams to mitigate atypical hazards. With over 17 miles of coastline [the longest in the state] and the prevalence of water-based activities among the City’s beaches, rivers, ponds and marshes, one prominent unit is the Water Response Team.

The main Water Response Team is comprised of 13 members certified as divers and qualified for marine rescue operations. The team enlists the aid of line personnel qualified to operate the associated apparatus, consisting of a 27’ steel-hull fire boat, a rigid-hull inflatable rescue boat and a jet ski equipped with a rescue sled. The team is tasked with responding to emergencies and conducting operations in and around the water including, but not limited to: search and rescue/recovery, side scan SONAR, swift water rescue, storm/flood response, stranded persons/vessels, maritime fires, standby medical assistance for swims and races in Long Island Sound, mutual aid to other coastal towns, and countless other scenarios.

The Water Response Team was created in 1972 to comply with Civil Preparedness directives addressing the high potential for water-related emergencies, given the extensive coastline and surrounding inherent bodies of water within this shoreline community. The original team was assembled of 13 career firefighters and the equipment was procured through sporadic purchases and donations. Early training often required personnel to share equipment, as there was not enough to outfit each member. While the size of the team has not grown since its inception, and it continues to operate on a modest budget, the technology, tactics and operational significance have advanced greatly.

Members are selected based on departmental seniority and those who do not possess SCUBA certifications are trained as open water divers before receiving additional training in public safety operations. With winters here reaching single digit temperatures for extended periods of time and the accessibility of ponds for ice skating and hockey, members also receive ice diving certifications. Training is conducted during monthly eight- hour drills which focus on topics such as search patterns, victim/object recovery, area familiarization of all bodies of water within the city, equipment maintenance and readiness, industry operating standards, water-related medical emergencies, and dive physiology and medicine. All members are trained and qualified to operate at any level within the team, from line tender to operational commander. Members are responsible for maintaining department-issued equipment including: full-face masks with communications systems, buoyancy compensation devices, regulators, dry suits, lights, ropes, and other accessories; while annual service and repairs are conducted by professional service technicians. The team utilizes a converted delivery truck to house the equipment and transport members to training and emergency scenes, and operates mainly out of the west side fire station on Naugatuck Avenue.

The Water Response Team is managed by two team leaders who handle the operational and logistical aspects of the team, including training and equipment needs. The team leaders report directly to the Assistant Chief of Operations. Funding for the team is included in the fire department’s annual budget, but aid is often sought through Federal grants and inter-agency training with other teams in the area. 

 

Contact Information:

 

Battalion Chief Ron Wetmore

Milford Fire Department

72 New Haven Avenue

Milford, CT 06460