On Saturday, Aug. 24, the Clallam County Fire Protection District 1’s Swift Water Rescue Team conducted a full scale-multi agency exercise with members of the fire department and Washington State Department of Corrections Inmate Recovery Team based out of Olympic Corrections Center.

The teams worked collaboratively in order to strengthen their operational relationship given a water-based search and rescue on the West End. The two teams plan on continuing to work together and including Forks Ambulance and Clallam County Sheriff’s Department in future drills.

Swift Water Rescue Team Leader Kris Oliver had the following to say, “It was really good to get out and conduct a drill of this magnitude collaboratively with IRT. I’m so proud of our SRT. They really operate just like a seasoned team and I couldn’t be happier to work with such an amazing group. Working with IRT was an amazing experience, they are so professional and really easy to work with. Their expertise was on full display during this drill. I really look forward to working with them in the future.”

The drill consisted of both teams searching and extracting three victims and lasted approximately 90 minutes over a 2.3-mile section of the Sol Duc River.

Participants from several agencies took part in the training. Submitted Photos