CFD Dives Deep

By Corporate Communications & Marketing Staff

“We’re looking underwater. It’s a needle in a haystack a lot of times. We try to get rid of as much of the hay as we can to find the needle.” — CFD engineer William Petrea

It’s something the Charlotte Fire Department (CFD) does nearly 250 times a day — respond to a call for service. Fighting fire is what they’re known for, but CFD’s job extends well beyond that. Charlotte firefighters have the ability to run medical calls, respond to hazmat situations and perform rescue work including dive recovery.

Fire Station 38, located on Lake Wylie, is a specialized dive station with two boats. Their fire boat stays on the lake, while the pontoon boat is used as a dive platform and is primarily taken out of the county to assist with water incidents. For example, CFD could be called to the east coast to assist with Hurricane Matthew.

“This year has been one of our busiest between Lake Norman and Lake Wylie,” says Captain Dale Cuff.

Captain Cuff says they are called out on the water for two efforts: evidence recovery and recovery of drowning victims. Watch the video to learn how firefighters utilize electronics to locate what’s under the water.