Published on February 22, 2017
BREAKING NEWS - Menlo Park Fire District's Swift Water Rescue Team is being deployed into Santa Clara County by the State Office of Emergency Services
Team members of the Menlo Park Fire DistrictSwift Water Rescue Team practice with "Bridger air-line guns" on Tuesday while staged at the former McClellan Air Force Base in Sacramento
Menlo Park Fire District - February 22, 2017
Just over a week ago the Menlo Park Fire Districts Swift Water Rescue Team was deployed to Oroville for a potential dam failure with presumed down range water rescues. Fortunately that did not occur and the team returned home a day later.
A week later the Fire Districts Swift Water Rescue Team was strategically staged and pre-positioned in Sacramento along with eight other similar Teams from throughout the State that were located from Merced to Yuba City in case of flooding, levee failure or any other type of technical water related emergency as deemed by the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (CAL-OES).
The Teams newest assignment brings them back into the region and their home base. In several hours the specialized 14 member Swift Water Rescue Team will be headed to a staging area in Santa Clara County. The flooding along Coyote Creek has prompted CAL-OES to reposition the Team.
The Menlo Park Fire Protection Districts Team is one of the States original founding Swift Water Rescue Teams first established in 1994. Known as California Task Force 3 (CA-TF3), the Team has performed water rescues all over the State and across the Country in placesNew Orleans during Hurricane Katrina.
Division Chief Mike Shaffer and Captain Jeff Schreiber who lead the Team are veterans of Hurricane Katrina and a similar weather and flooding event 20 years ago which effected Napa, Rancho Marietta and Yuba City.
All Team members are specially trained in Swift Water Rescue, Boat Operations and working with, and from, Helicopters. “These guys are the Fire Services version of military special operators, they are well trained, highly capable and are a very focused tool, or instrument, that can be tactically used for complex, technical and precision water rescue operations”, Fire Chief Schapelhouman said
Using the Teams Search Drone - The Menlo Park Fire Districts Swift Water Rescue Team also known as California Task Force 3 (CA-TF3) stop for a Team Photograph on Tuesday afternoon in West Sacramento
