Beatrice Fire and Rescue conducts water rescue training

BEATRICE, Neb. - A Southeast Nebraska fire department is practicing life-saving efforts, as water activities ramp up in the summer months. 

Beatrice Fire and Rescue held a water rescue training earlier this week. Fire Chief Brian Daake says incidents do happen, often on the Big Blue River which runs through the southeast Nebraska town. 

"With the canoe/kayak launch site, with the water activities going on, we were able to get a boat," Daake said. "They're working on how to do boat rescues, kayak rescues, canoe rescues."

Firefighters conducted the training at Lake Lado in Beatrice's Belvedere neighborhood. Training included how to properly pull someone from the water into the boat, as well as proper operation of boats and kayaks. 

Daake says the training is crucial, especially for a number of new members of the department. 

"You've got to know the gear, you've got to know how to put it on," Daake said. "And the certain techiniques it takes to get the person into the boat, because it's the kind of stuff where if you didn't know it, you wouldn't know it."

Training lasted for about three hours.