South Fire District Crews Completed Joint Dive Training

MIDDLETOWN, CT — AUGUST 18 — South Fire District, the Portland CT Fire Department, and the City of Middletown Professional Firefighters Local 1073 carried out a joint dive training operation on Tuesday evening.

Marine 3 was positioned near Petzolds Marine and served as the primary dive platform.

Portland Marine 7 was used to move divers between the boats during the training.A total of eight divers participated, conducting training at depths ranging from 15 to 20 feet in conditions of limited visibility.

During the exercise, crews practiced various underwater search patterns.

Line tenders assisted from the surface by guiding the search efforts.Communication between divers and tenders was maintained through an intercom system and tether lines.The training also focused on reinforcing the safety protocols necessary for public safety diving operations.

South Fire District kept specialized dive equipment on Rescue 35, and its resource fleet included both marine and rescue units.

The Middletown Dive Team was composed of certified public safety divers and dive tenders, who were prepared to respond to mutual-aid calls as needed.The Portland Fire Department also had a dedicated dive team available for operations.

This training helped improve regional cooperation and preparedness for water rescue and recovery missions.