New scuba gear for fire department will help save people from drowning in Macon

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Members of the Macon-Bibb County Fire Department dive team stand near new scuba gear for the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office during a press conference on Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024, at Amerson River Park in Macon, Georgia. The Bibb County Sheriff’s Office announced acquiring new scuba equipment that they will lend out to Macon-Bibb County Fire Department dive team to help in water emergencies. The money for the equipment was raised by the Macon-Bibb Law Enforcement Foundation.

Credit: Katie Tucker/The Telegraph

The Bibb County Fire Department’s rescue divers were given access to new scuba equipment which they hope will help them save drowning victims, officials announced Tuesday.

At least three people died after drowning at Amerson River Park and Lake Tobesofkee between June and July this year, including victims ages 19, 26 and 33 years old.

Some dive members, including Casey Boothe, noticed deterioration and holes on their equipment.

“Some of them get holes, rips and tears when you’re diving,” Boothe said. “I don’t think it’ll help us get (victims) out faster, but it’ll definitely help us do our jobs a lot better.”

The Macon-Bibb Law Enforcement Foundation gave a $7,500 grant to the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office to fund new gear they will lend to the fire department as needed. The foundation pays for items outside of the county budget such as some training, technology and equipment for the sheriff’s office.

The sheriff’s office will not use the gear because it doesn’t have a dive team, but it will replace a “substantial portion” of the fire department’s old gear, Sheriff David Davis announced at a press conference at Amerson River Park Tuesday.

“Typically the fire department is the first call ... along with emergency medical services,” Davis said. “They have the rescue boats, so ... they are going to come first with all the dive equipment right on the spot.”

Caption

New scuba equipment from the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office sits out on a table on Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024 at Amerson River Park in Macon, Georgia. The Bibb County Sheriff’s Office announced acquiring new scuba equipment that they will lend out to Macon-Bibb County Fire Department dive team to help in water emergencies. The money for the equipment was raised by the Macon-Bibb Law Enforcement Foundation.

Credit: Katie Tucker/The Telegraph

The sheriff’s office had a dive team over a decade ago but retired it, according to Davis.

Since then, some sheriff’s deputies have received volunteer dive training used for investigative purposes. But only the fire department will use the new tools for emergency rescue efforts.

“Even when the sheriff’s office had a dive team, it was more for evidence recovery because there is certainly added training that needs to be done for a rescue dive team,” Davis said.

This story comes to GPB through a reporting partnership with Macon Telegraph.