If you saw a bunch of red helicopters circling around the Estuary last week and wondered what it was all about, breathe easy. It was the Alameda Fire Department (AFD) and the United States Coast Guard (USCG) doing training drills.
AFD put its fire boat to the test, participating in a variety of training evolutions with the Coast Guard, according to AFD reports on Facebook and Instagram.
The training exercises involved multiple USCG helicopters with a focus on deployment and recovery of the rescue basket aboard the fire boat, both in motion and stationary. Alameda firefighters also worked to recover deployed USCG rescue swimmers and their rescued victims.
“AFD has a robust Marine Operations division which includes water rescue swimmers, inflatable rescue boats, a dive rescue team, and our fire boat to respond to water emergencies,” AFD stated. “We are proud to cooperate and train with our surrounding agencies such as the United States Coast Guard.”
