Bolivar Dive Team Hosts Multi-Agency Training Exercise

On August 6, 2022, Bolivar and Hardeman County emergency agencies participated in a multi-agency training exercise. The background scenario for the exercise involved a person walking in the park who noticed an overturned kayak floating on the lake. Emergency agencies were then dispatched to the area. The purpose of the exercise was to further enhance the water rescue teams' knowledge, skills, and abilities to reduce a search area based upon clues found, enhance search procedures, complete evidence collection procedures, and use of side scan sonars.

"With the addition of Sand Beach Lake in our jurisdiction, it is imperative that we train with our neighboring jurisdictions in multi-agency response scenarios frequently and in scenarios that are realistic to our respective jurisdictions," said Bolivar Dive Team Officer Chris Wilkerson. "While we hope and pray that our unit is never deployed to an incident at Sand Beach Lake, it is vital that we are trained and properly prepared for an emergency," said Bolivar Dive Team Officer Rory White.

The exercise included Hardeman County Emergency Management Agency, Fayette County Emergency Management Agency, MedCenter EMS, Hardeman County EMS, Hardeman County Sheriff's Office, Hardin County Fire Department & Dive Team, Hardeman County Rescue Squad, Bolivar Police Department, Bolivar Fire Department, Bolivar Dive Team, Braden Fire & Water Rescue Unit, and the Tennessee Federation of Fire Chaplains. The multi-agency exercise was developed by Bolivar Dive Team Officers Chris Wilkerson and Rory White. Both Wilkerson and White are certified public safety divers.