Montgomery County’s Swift Water Rescue Team gears up for busy summer season
WASHINGTON (DC News Now) — With temperatures rising and summer fast approaching, it’s training time for Montgomery County’s Swift Water Rescue Team.
It’s a fun, but dangerous job that requires a lot of intense training. The team is gearing up for a busy season as calls for help on the Potomac River start coming in more often.
Capt. Joe Bell leads the team. He says they’ve already started to see call volume rise in recent weeks.
“The water does look very inviting, it’s very beautiful out here,” said Capt. Bell. “But, what you think could be a safe area, you could take one step to your right or your left and be pulled under from the current. It can happen just that quick.”
When boaters, kayakers, and swimmers find themselves in trouble near the Montgomery County shoreline, Capt. Bell and the team aren’t far away.
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His team, including several rookies, practiced rescue scenarios Wednesday morning along a quick-moving channel of the Potomac River.
“You have a victim that’s in the current that’s flowing, and you have a person who’s got to practice throwing that rope to them, the rescuer’s got to get it positioned right so they don’t get pulled in, and the victim has to make sure they don’t get entangled,” said Capt. Bell of Wednesday morning’s exercise.
The team gets about 150 calls for help every year, from river rescues to drivers and cars caught in floodwaters.
Capt. Bell says calls for help on the Potomac increased during and after the pandemic, as more people turned to outdoor activities and tried new things on the water.
“A number of those calls have been for swimmers who get caught in distress because of the currents and the under tows,” said Bell. “Even the most experienced kayakers have found themselves in trouble because of the dangers here on the river.”
To avoid being on the other side of these rescues, Bell said, “heed the warning to stay out of the water – and not swim in the river.”
Swimming in the Potomac River is not allowed. If you’re heading out on a boat, kayak or paddleboard, you’re encouraged wear a floatation device or life jacket.
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