Borough of Avalon hosted a water rescue training class on the 37th Street beachfront on Wednesday, June 22nd. The class involved 12 members of the Avalon Beach Patrol and eight members of the Avalon Volunteer Fire Department.
The class was offered in Avalon for the second consecutive summer by the National Water Safety Congress. The class began with classroom training followed by field training exercises on the Avalon beachfront. The goal is to provide Avalon rescue personnel with proper instruction and training for water rescues that involve the use of a personal watercraft. As a result, all 20 participants in the class are now certified for personal watercraft rescues.
The Avalon Volunteer Fire Department has two personal water craft that can be used for ocean and bay rescues. This summer, the Avalon Beach Patrol also acquired a personal watercraft for its rescue operations. Personal water craft are used in the event of a boating accident or to rescue a distressed swimmer when lifeguards are not present.