We have a core group of members who are designated as the “Swift Water Rescue Team” after completing several levels of training and certifications. This small group is our initial core group of responders trained up to at least the Emergency Boat Operations level as part of the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission’s Swift Water Rescue certification series if not higher all the way up to Swift Water Rescue Tech.
Other members of our department are in the process of working up the certification process and most have at least their “Water Rescue for First Responder” (WRFR) or “Water Rescue for Emergency Responder” (WRER) programs completed. These members support the ones highlighted in this post on the “land-side” of the operations including ATV needs.
Holiday Park VFD supplements the Municipality of Monroeville Fire Department’s Swift Water Rescue Team by providing manpower, resources, and our ATV/Utility package on rescue assignments. We train closely with them as well as the Kiski Valley Water Rescue Team. We are dual dispatched with them on emergency incidents.
Members with Swift Water Rescue Team Designation:
Nic Albert
Carin Frank
Dan Giannettino (Diver)
Fred Gerstacker (Diver)
Tom Hordubay
Josh Scalamogna
Joe Susalla (Diver)
Certification Status
– 90% of our firefighters have “Water Rescue for First Responder” certification
– 40% have “Water Rescue for Emergency Response” certification
– 20% have “Emergency Boat Operations” certification
– 5 Firefighters have “Rescue Diver” certification
– 4 Firefighters have “Advanced Lines” & “Ice Rescue” certification