Team Effort under Water

By Cheryl Machat Dorskind

Drowning statistics—third common cause of accidental death among adults, second among children and young adults ( US )—bear particular relevance to our East End locale, and so I jumped at the invitation earlier this month to photograph a Rapid Water Deployment Search and Rescue Training course. Hosted by the Hampton Bays Fire Department and instructed by Butch Hendricks and Barry Lipsky of Life Guard Systems (www.teamlgs.com), five community support groups (Coast Guard, Southampton Town Bay Constable, Southampton Town Dive Team, Hampton Bays Fire Department, and Hampton Bays Ambulance) participated in over 200 dives in 42 degree waters, over four rainy and blustery days and weekend nights.

And while diving is a popular recreational sport, these training dives are not fun and they're potentially very dangerous. Diving into thick black muck—like quicksand— zero visibility, alone in the water, the divers use their hands to identify victims and objects while they are guided by a tethered system from above. Communication systems lodged in the mask are a comfort if claustrophobia sets in, or become tangled in debris (entanglement issues are a primary concern). On-land support (tenders) listens for irregular breathing and abrupt jerky movement —tell-tale signs of a problem below.

But it shouldn't take a catastrophe to appreciate those who risk their lives for our safety. Community service is an integral thread to any town's fabric and it should come as no surprise that the CRU are active community members in and out of uniforms. In addition to commander of the Dive Team, Sergeant Hughes (CRU 1) champions the yearly Hampton Bays' Chapter of the Knights of Columbus Annual Christmas party (sponsor event for 26 years) for the developmentally disabled, greeting each attendee with Santa hugs and presents. Officers Jane Harrigan (CRU 6), Lyle Smith (CRU 2), Mike Smith (CRU 3), and Rich Gates (CRU 4) coach or assist in teaching children's sports. Officers Jane Harrigan and daughter Officer Christina Harrigan run in support of various causes including; Run for the Ridley, Heart Link, and Hurricane Booster. Officer Lewis Scott (CRU 5), a member of the Southampton Town dive team, volunteers for the Hampton Bays' fire department (over 15 years) and is the Hampton Bays' Ambulance emergency medical technician/critical emergency care specialist.

Traveling with the CRU and participating in the Southampton Town Citizens Police Academy has profoundly altered my perspective. To learn more about the Southampton Town Police, I encourage you to contact Lieutenant Iberger of the Southampton Town Police and inquire about applying to the Citizens Police Academy . It's 52 hours and begins in the fall.