Atascadero, Paso Robles Fire Departments doing swift water rescue training

The timing couldn’t be any better for the Atascadero and Paso Robles Fire Departments to be doing swift water rescue training – especially with the major flooding in Northern California.

These firefighters telling us earlier today that they’ve never been more prepared than they are now.

“Well this training is super important, we’re finding that these rescues are happening more and more often and we need to be prepared at the top of our game,” Atascadero Interim Fire Chief Casey Bryson said.

Over a dozen firefighters were out on Lake Nacimiento doing swift water rescue training from 9 am to 1 pm.

Firefighters say the importance of this type of training is on center stage in San Jose where 10’s of thousands of people have been evacuated – and hundreds of people have been evacuated by boat.

“It takes water to do this kind of training and we haven’t had this kind of rain in several years so when the water is moving like that it gets us ready, we take the time to train and do a good job when that situation arises,” Bryson said.

He’s reminding people that if there’s water flowing over a roadway, don’t drive over it.

“As shallow as 6 inches will sweep you off your feet and two feet will move your car so just if it’s flowing, don’t go, turn around,” Bryson said.