Here's a little somethin' I submited to a magazine last year...
Search & Rescue Training in the
FLORIDA EVERGLADES
story and pictures by Randy - Airboat4fun@SouthernAirboat.com
The Florida Everglades are one of the largest wetland habitats on the planet. Most of the area is so remote that you can only access it with a swamp buggy, airboat, or helicopter. The Conservation Areas that we, the public, have for recreation (hunting, fishing, frogging, etc…) cover over 670,000 acres in 3 counties. In case of emergency there are several agencies that may need to respond.
The Broward County Fire Rescue department recently arranged for a multi-jurisdictional training exercise. Participants included rescue agencies from Miami-Dade County, Palm Beach County, Miccosukee Tribe of Indians, and Volunteers from the Broward Airboat Club, and THE on-line airboat club, SouthernAirboat.com
The day started with a briefing for rescue personnel and volunteers at the boat ramp near Broward County’s new Fire Rescue Station on Alligator Alley. They established a mobile command center (million $ RV), and communication channels for rescue personnel and VHF for volunteers with a “Code” to break into communications if a real emergency were to happen during the training.
The scenario… a local airboater called 911 for help with a medical “Emergency” while airboating in the Everglades, he said they were near “Possum Head”.
The “Target Area” was in Conservation Area 3a South.-“Possum Head” is a natural tree island, used as a landmark.
First the Broward rescue helicopter located the “Emergency”, and gave GPS coordinates to the ground crew. The Broward rescue helicopter crew hovered over the airboat and lowered a rope with an “Emergency Bag” . (Which included such items as water, food, first-aid, medicine, etc…) Next to arrive was the Broward airboat crew. They are firefighters/paramedics on a custom built airboat equipped like an ambulance, Their job is to give medical care or remove people when necessary .
Next the Miami-Dade rescue helicopter located the “Emergency”, hovering over, lowered rescue personnel on a cable, and then lowered “the basket” to airlift “the victim” from the airboat.
The last scenario was a “Grid Search”. All the agency and volunteer airboats lined up 10-15 feet apart and went straight across the marsh in a straight line, to search a specific area. With all the airboats that showed up that day we covered about ¼ mile in a single pass. It was an impressive sight.
After the training the Broward Fire Rescue invited everyone back to the rest area for hamburgers and hot dogs. I had taken the day off from work and was already in the Everglades with my airboat and my son, so I was going to make the most of it. We took off to “the Microwave Tower” one of the most beautiful, and remote places I know, for some fishing, swimming, and a great day of airboating…
Knowing that if there was an actual emergency our local rescue departments had the equipment and the training necessary to respond if needed.
