Jetty Training 2012

On July ?? 2012 the Pt Pleasant EMS and Dive Team, along with local lifeguards from Jenkisons, held a jetty rescue drill at Manasquan Inlet. Over 30 emergency personnel participated in the drill over the course of the evening.

The Manasquan Inlet can be a very dangerous and tricky area for rescue and recovery. The inlet handles a high volume of boat traffic on any given day, especially in the summer months. Combine this with swift currents, riptides and slippery jetty rocks and accidents can and will happen.

Our drill concentrated on locating and recovery of a victim in the jetty rocks and jacks. The jetty rocks and jacks create numerous caves and crevices where a victim can be lodged out of sight and even hearing. Locating the possible victim requires a systematic search of every possible hiding place. The rocks are slippery with algae, seaweed and water making every inch of the search dangerous to the rescuer if not executed correctly.

We split the lifeguards into several groups each lead by a member of the Dive Team. Meanwhile Chief Nesley had several of the Dive Team members hide in the rocks as potential victims. As we searched the inlet everyone was soon able to see how hard this really could be. The Dive Team can be very good at getting into those tight crevices.

But the lifeguards wee not about to be shown up. They proved their dedication and professionalism by finding very victim.

Once the victims were found, EMT’s were called to the location and the process of recovering the victim started. Victims were secured onto backboards and carefully extricated from the rocks and jacks. Imagine trying to secure an unconscious victim to a backboard while wedged into a space the size of the front seat of your car, while waves bash you into the rocks.

After all the victims were rescued, the Dive Team went for a quick swim around the tip of the jetty. This can be a tricky place as waves and swift currents can wash you into the rocks or out to sea. As we walked up onto the beach after our swim, tired and ready to discuss our evening..Chief Nesley had a surprise in store for all of us. The shout came to us on the beach, distressed swimmer in the water. Back into the surf we went! Pulling our “distressed swimmer” (actually it was Milton’s son) back to the shoreline. Safe and secure at last!

We would like to give a great thank you to the members of Jenkinson’s Lifeguard squad.

Everyday they are out there showing their courage and professionalism protecting the swimmers in Pt Pleasant. Great job everyone!