The primary mission of the Greeley Fire Department’s Water Rescue Team is to provide fast and reliable response to water rescue and recovery incidents involving residents and visitors of the City of Greeley.
The Water Rescue Team is comprised of 12 members, who are also part of a larger regional response team, providing rescue and recovery services throughout Weld County. Members of the Water Rescue Team are trained and certified as Public Safety Divers and Swift Water Technicians.
The City of Greeley and Weld County are home to a variety of bodies of water, including lakes, ponds, and irrigation ditches. Additionally, the South Platte River and the Cache la Poudre River flow through our primary response area.
Due to the variety of water environments in the area, the Water Rescue Team must be prepared for several types of water rescue and recovery situations.
- Surface Water Rescue – Performed on the surface of lakes, ponds and other types of still water.
- Swift-water Rescue – Performed in rivers, irrigation ditches and other types of moving water.
- Underwater Rescue – Performed underwater using search patterns to locate near-drowning victims.
- Sonar Searches – Performed from the surface using sonar to locate objects and possible victims under water.
- Ice Rescue – Performed on frozen bodies of water or in cold-water.
- Evidence Recovery – Assistance provided to law enforcement agencies in crime scene investigations, including vehicle and evidence recovery operations.
In addition to rescue and recovery, members of the Water Rescue Team provide training and education to all members of the Greeley Fire Department. All fire department personnel are trained to provide surface support. Additionally, all personnel are trained as Ice Rescue Technicians and all personnel receive awareness level training for swift water incidents. These qualifications ensure that the department can provide the highest level of service for any incident involving water. The dive team also performs inspections and minor repairs to the City of Greeley’s water reservoirs infrastructure.
