(WXMI) — As summer officially begins, the Ottawa County dive team is preparing for water emergencies with regular monthly training sessions. The team conducted equipment testing and rescue practice on Tuesday to ensure readiness for the busy season ahead.
"The trainings are super important. It just gets guys refreshed on how to use all the equipment and gear. Today we're doing sonar and robot (training). We're getting familiarized with how to set up and operate those things," said Sgt. Chris Reuwer, who leads Ottawa County's Marine Unit and Dive Team.
During Tuesday's exercise, the team tested sonar and robot technology on their boats, tools that have become essential for water rescues.
"The technology really just helps keep the diver safe. The most dangerous part of the job is putting a diver in the water," Reuwer said. "It allows us to locate that object first and then put a diver in the water once we have a target located."
Education remains a critical component of water safety efforts in the county, particularly teaching young people about the beach flag warning system that uses green, yellow and red flags to indicate water conditions.
"We teach a lot of classes, so boater safety classes where we bring a lot of students in and teach them about boater and water safety. Then our school resource officers also get into the classrooms and teach about water safety," Reuwer said.
For those who might find themselves caught in a rip current, Sgt. Reuwer advises flipping onto your back, keeping your head above water, allowing the current to carry you while calling for help.
This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
Follow FOX 17: Facebook - X (formerly Twitter) - Instagram - YouTube
