ALBANY, Ore. (KMTR) -- While thousands spent the day getting reacquainted to the warm weather, a chance for Linn and
Benton County's first responders on the water to get re-acclimated with working together on water rescue.
At least seven different agencies spent Saturday, May 12th, 2012, teaming up in Albany to help coordinate and practice all the different kinds of water rescues they'll face in the next year, especially this summer.
This is the fourth multi-agency water rescue training even that Albany Fire has put on. Crews set up at Monteith Park in Albany on Saturday, May 12th, 2012
Three different elements of water rescue are part of the practice regimen, including swift water rescue tactics, scuba diving and rescue boat operations.
Albany fire took part in 12 water rescues in January 2012, calling on partner agencies to help in several instances.
Rescuers say the training helped make them a better team on the water in January.
“It really pays off, training always pays off because when it actually happens, you've practiced all those things, our boats went over to Scio when they had the flooding that happened we really did work interagency wide when those floodings happened back in January,” said Wanda Omdahl, a spokeswoman for the Albany Fire Department.
Agencies from Marion, Polk and Benton counties all took part, along with agencies from the cities of Lebanon, Scio, Sweet Home and Albany.
Albany fire says budget cuts have affected the trainings though with the Linn County Sheriff's Office and Salem Fire Department missing Saturday’s training, due to a lack of funding.
