More firefighters join Ridgewood dive team
Tuesday September 17, 2013, 10:30 AM
BY DARIUS AMOS
STAFF WRITER
The Ridgewood News
Widespread flooding in the wake of recent weather disasters such as Hurricane Irene and Superstorm Sandy has placed new emphasis on water rescue in Bergen County, particularly for towns that border naturally occurring brooks and streams. Two years removed from one of the worst flood events in village history, the Ridgewood Fire Department has bolstered its swift water rescue team, adding eight new members who recently obtained their Open Water Diving Certification.
With two rivers and several ponds in its jurisdiction, including a sandy-bottomed municipal swimming pool, the fire department has maintained a professional dive team for nearly two decades. The recent addition brings the unit’s membership to 20 firefighters who have diving certification.
The eight new members – Matt Bombace, Brendan Corcoran, Greg Corcoran, Kurt Harba, Jim Kakolewski, Mike Kakolewski, Matt Ramge and Chris Wolfstirn – tested their underwater skills earlier this month at Graydon Pool, its lake-like waters providing ample conditions for training. Training was conducted under the supervision of instructor Tony Petrak and divemasters Geoff Morris and Susanne Warfield, of Blue Water Divers.
– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/news/224070071_More_firefighters_join_Ridgewood_dive_team.html#sthash.DkD63I6
Great program, ,,,,Susanne is best looking one there….. Dom
Open water diving certification is very basic. It’s Step 1 in any PADI training and a ten year old can be certified at this level (and many are). Do any Ridgewood FF have any more advanced training like rescue diving?