Lubbock Fire Rescue demonstrated some of the capabilities of its dive team Wednesday morning at the Pete Ragus Aquatic Center.
The dive team could be called upon for emergencies such as last Friday’s bridge collapse at Mae Simmons’ Park.
“About 15 times a year on average our guys go assist law enforcement in evidence recovery and preservation,” said Steve Holland, the LFR Public Information Officer. “They’ll dive down looking for evidence that the police department or sheriff’s office thinks there may be in a playa lake or a canyon lake something like that, and they’ll go down and find that evidence and retrieve it for law enforcement.”
There were 15 divers at the aquatic center Wednesday morning – training for emergency dives.
Lubbock Fire Rescue received new equipment that the divers were able to begin training with. That includes full-faced masks that will enable divers to communicate clearly with responders above water and so that they may navigate through waters that have little to zero visibility.
The team just received a $40,000 grant from the the South Plains Association of Governments that will allow the team to buy all the remaining equipment they need to fully outfit other divers with the correct and necessary safety gear.
The LFR is a regional dive team and responds to 15 counties served by the South Plains Association, which amounts to a population of about 400,000. Just within the city limits of Lubbock itself, there are 60 miles of shoreline with playa lakes and canyon lakes.
The team will also respond to any emergencies or assistance needed at Lake Allen Henry.
