One of many great things about having a bait and tackle shop out on Goleta Pier is I am able to watch Santa Barbara County Fire Department training and drills for beach and boat-based rescues.
If you’ve ever needed the Fire Department or watched firefighters in action when someone else needed them, it’s no surprise how hard these folks train and drill to reach the skill level needed to save the rest of us when we need it.
One day a few months ago, firefighters used inflatables and were equally comfortable hoisting from the pier or beach-launching.
If you’ve ever beach-launched inflatables and also tried beaching an inflatable with a decent swell running, you probably know how many things can go wrong.
When the Fire Department executes drills, things rarely seem to go wrong because they have built incredible skills levels. Even the newer members of their squads get so much instruction and working examples that their skills levels come up quickly.
That is not surprising considering what it takes to earn a spot on those squads. They don’t hire from the bottom of the gene pool.
I winced and thought they had messed up when their boat capsized and they pulled their own people in, right there in the surf zone. But, when they repeated the drill again and again, I knew it had been me who was in error, thinking they had messed up.
Then, the time to make a mistake is during drills; mistakes are part of the learning process so that when needed for real-world rescues, the operation is well-honed and goes smoothly.
I’ve been a sea captain for many years and have more sea time under my belt than darn near anyone I know.
But watching those Fire Department drills was a learning experience for me because of how well-practiced they were and how the firefighters handled the details as they evolved in a rescue scenario.
My well-worn hat is doffed in respect and appreciation for our Fire Department personnel.
— Capt. David Bacon operates WaveWalker Charters and is president of SOFTIN Inc., a nonprofit organization providing seafaring opportunities for those in need. Visit softininc.blogspot.com to learn more about the organization and how you can help. Click here to read previous columns. The opinions expressed are his own.
