Cape Lookout park rangers train for water rescues

CARTERET COUNTY, N.C. (WITN) -In an effort to better prepare rangers for water rescues, Atlantic Beach Ocean and Fire Rescue partnered with Cape Lookout National Park Service for an aquatic training exercise.

Atlantic Beach Ocean and Fire Rescue led the training, teaching rangers hybrid water rescue tactics for conscious and unconscious victims. Ocean Rescue crews also demonstrated hybrid rescue tactics using jet skis.

Officials say the National Park Service is the closest agency with water rescue capability near Cape Lookout.

With more than 560,000 visitors a year to the park, training experts say this is a much-needed addition heading into peak season.

Lt. Christian Register with Atlantic Beach Ocean Rescue says, “We’re just teaching the foundation. Everything from victim recognition to the equipment we use to water entry conscious and unconscious victims from the water. Those guys wear a lot of hats just like all of us and fire and EMS just giving them just an extra toolbox to make them an effective service out there.”

NPS rangers also participated in class sessions on more safety training measures.

Officials say they hope this will be the first of a series of training exercises developed through the partnership.

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