Photo By Ryan Carter | NORFOLK, Va. (Jan. 20, 2017) -- Gunner's Mate 3rd Class Zachary Perez,...... read more read more
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“Our job is to save people’s lives,” said Lt. j.g. Brendan Shields, a certified SAR swimmer and Ford’s SAR Officer. “If there’s a man overboard or if a jet goes down in the water and the pilot has to eject, our job is to rescue them and bring them back to the ship alive.”
Fleet wide, two certified SAR Swimmers are required on board prior to going underway to take on SAR missions out at sea. Becoming a SAR Swimmer is voluntary and considered a collateral duty for Sailors.
“Being a SAR Swimmer is not your typical collateral duty,” said Lt. Cmdr. Edward Quinones, Ford deck department’s first lieutenant. “It is a highly demanding job both physically and mentally. It is also a very high visibility job because of the responsibilities they have once qualified. They are the first responder in the ocean, for any man overboard that may be called away. ”
SAR swimmer candidates undergo tough training to become certified.
“It’s a pretty physical job and it’s a lot of swimming,” said Perez, one of Ford’s SAR Swimmers. “Just like anything in the Navy, training is a lot harder than the actual situation you may encounter. We train like we fight and always prepare for the worst.”
Candidates are tested in five different areas before becoming a certified SAR Swimmer: a SAR fitness test, swim proficiency, in-water rescue scenarios, medical assessment, and a written test.
“The biggest thing is physical preparation,” Shields said. “You have to be in shape and definitely be a good swimmer. It’s time demanding and physically challenging, so you do have to dedicate time outside of working hours to swim and physically train on your own.”
Perez said he trains at Langley Air Force Base during the week and welcomes any Sailor who is interested in learning more about the program.
“We are currently looking for candidates that will be part of the group that will attain Ford’s first SAR certification,” said Quinones. “It will be a huge win for the ship as we prepare for delivery, commissioning and beyond.”
Candidates interested in the program may contact Shields or Perez for more information.
| Date Taken: | 08.31.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 12.15.2016 19:06 |
| Story ID: | 217921 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 632 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, So Others May Live:What it takes to be a Navy Search and Rescue (SAR) swimmer, by PO2 Cathrine Yanez, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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