Panama City Fire Department hosted swiftwater rescue instructor training

PANAMA CITY, Fla. ( WMBB ) — This weekend’s rainy weather didn’t stop local and visiting firefighters from tackling swift water rescue instructor training.

The Panama City Fire Department hosted the training session. They teamed up with firefighters from across the country to become swiftwater rescue instructors. These skills are critical in an emergency involving moving water.

“Moving water up to one knot or one mile per hour or more is considered swift water. What we’re going to do is enter the water, bring out victims that are trapped or succumb to the water volume and pressure so that we can bring them to safety,” Panama City Firefighter Ryan Smith said.

The 5-day course includes a classroom curriculum as well as physical training. Saturday marked day 3 of training, and swift water rescuers practiced field scenarios such as a high-lining.

“A high line is when we stretch a piece of rope across a river or a body of water to an anchor point on either side, maybe a tree or some substantial object. We take a boat, put it on a trolley system with a set of pulleys and ropes. We’re going to pull that boat out to the middle of the river or a creek or stream and then lower it down to wherever we’re going to rescue the patient,” Smith said.

Panama City Fire Department officials said certifying firefighters from outside of the community will enable them to do in-house training when they return to their departments.

“We can take swift water rescue training 1 and 2 back to our agencies and teach our guys, our women how to be swift water rescue technicians,” Smith said.

Officials added they just want to give back to locals and surrounding communities, especially those who helped Bay County during Hurricane Michael.

“If we’re called upon to assist with a natural disaster in the state of Florida for a deployment, we can take that training and those assets with us and help other agencies and pay them back the kindness that they paid us,” Smith said.

Panama City Fire Department officials said they’re aiming to become a deployable Urban Search and Rescue water element by the end of summer 2025.

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