Organized in 1988, CRS created a Rescue Dive Team in cooperation with the Police Department and Harbormaster. All CRS members on the Dive Team were required to be active members of rescue, certified at the ECA or EMT level. By 1991, we acquired a small surplus van to carry technical rescue equipment, as well as a small inflatable Zodiak motorboat.
Today the dive team is now Colchester Technical Rescue, specializing in more then just dive rescue. With at least 24 scheduled trainings a year, including a mandatory dive skills & rope skills assessment training, the Technical Rescue Team demands a high commitment from it's members.
Dive team requirements:
- As of July 1,2004, all members have to be dry suit certified.
- AGA full face mask conpentency
- Minimum requirement of advanced open water certifications with 50 logged dives
- Dive Rescue 1 certification required for Rescue dive
- Other certifications include Rescue Diver, Ice certification and Dive Rescue 2
Rope Requirements:
- Low Angle Rescue (16 hrs)
- High Angle (24 hrs)
Other Team Requirements:
- Swift Water Rescue 1 & 2
- Basic boat handling
- Confined Space Operations Level
- Trench Rescue Operations Level
- Structural Collapse Operations Leve
