Photo By Jedhel Somera | Firefighters from Fort Campbell and surrounding communities gathered April 24 to take...... read more read more
FORT CAMPBELL, Ky - Firefighters from Fort Campbell and surrounding communities gathered April 24 to take part in annual swift water rescue training, a critical preparation designed to enhance safety and effectiveness during high-risk water emergencies.
The training, held in a natural creek environment on post, is part of a broader effort to ensure firefighters meet national standards and are ready to respond when lives are at stake. It also reflects a growing need for technical rescue skills as seen in recent flooding in Kentucky, thus increasing the risk of flash floods and high-water incidents.
“This is a swift water technical rescue course that meets National Fire Protection Association standards,” said Fort Campbell Fire Chief Robert Coonce. “We do this training once a year at the start of the season. It’s about keeping our responders safe in hazardous conditions and increasing the chances of a successful rescue.
Firefighters learn a range of skills, starting with individual rescue techniques and building up to complex operations involving boats and team coordination. According to Coonce, these foundational skills are vital in ensuring both firefighter safety and mission success.
“I want them to have a respect for water,” he said. “Water is very deceiving and dangerous—even standing water can be a hazard. These skills help ensure they stay safe while trying to save someone else.”
Fort Campbell maintains strong ties with local departments in Clarksville, Tennessee; Oak Grove, Kentucky and Montgomery County, Tennessee, frequently training and responding together when disaster strikes.
Assistant Chief of Operations Bart Brindle emphasized how the nature of water rescues has evolved over time. Increased development, concrete infrastructure, and urban runoff have changed the dynamics of flooding, especially in cities and suburban areas.
“Over the last 30 years, fire departments have become more entrenched in different types of technical rescue, and one of those is water rescue,” Brindle said. “We may be training in a creek, but these same skills apply when a main street has three feet of water running through it.”
The course drew a mixture of new and experienced participants. While some used the opportunity as a refresher, others were learning the techniques for the first time. Brindle noted that ongoing training is essential to building future generations of capable rescue personnel.
“Everyone who participated today walks away a little wiser about water rescue,” he said.
The swift water training is just one of the many ways Fort Campbell’s fire departments stays ready to protect both the installation and the surrounding communities. For Coonce and his team, it all comes back to preparation, partnership, and the commitment to serve when the call comes.
| Date Taken: | 04.24.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 04.28.2025 16:36 |
| Story ID: | 496374 |
| Location: | KENTUCKY, US |
| Web Views: | 23 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Fort Campbell Firefighters Prepare for High-Risk Rescues with Swift Water Training, by Jedhel Somera, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
