Regional Search and Rescue teams train in Citrus County
Photos courtesy of CCSO.
Citrus County, Florida - With Search and Rescue operations a critical element of any law enforcement agency, on Tuesday, April 16, 2024, the Citrus County Sheriff's Office (CCSO) hosted a Search and Rescue forum with partners from all across the region.
Attendees included representatives from the United States Coast Guard, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Citrus County Fire Rescue, Hernando County Sheriff's Office, Hernando County Fire Rescue, and the Dixie County Sheriff's Office.
Nearly 25% of Citrus County is made up of waterways that include rivers, canals, lakes, and the Gulf of Mexico. As a result, it is essential that marine deputies and law enforcement officers understand the best practices for locating a vessel in distress or a person who has gone overboard from a vessel.
Each year, the Citrus County Sheriff's Marine Unit engages in rescues alongside partnering agencies. These rescues often occur in treacherous weather and highly unfavorable boating conditions. Therefore, cooperation among neighboring agencies is paramount to their success and the safety of those involved.
"As a coastal community with over 192 square miles of water whose population increases yearly - along with the number of visitors - we must be ready when any boater sends a distress call," said Citrus County Sheriff Mike Prendergast. "Boaters come from all across the nation to enjoy the amenities we have here in our nature coast. Unfortunately, Florida sees a plethora of fatalities and other boating tragedies. This is why we hold these meetings, to identify where we can utilize our resources the best and plan a path forward, to ensure that together, as a regional team, we are offering excellence in all areas of public safety."
"At today's training, each agency highlighted its assets, capabilities, success stories, and lessons learned, to help enhance efforts across the board and create the best rescue plans for the region," said Madeline Scarborough, CCSO Community Relations Specialist. "Thank you...for attending and contributing to these important discussions."
About the Citrus County Sheriff's Office's Marine Unit:
The Marine Unit enforces marine laws and ordinances in order to maintain safe recreational boating throughout the 192 square miles of waterways in Citrus County. Marine deputies provide high-visibility patrols in waterways while promoting boating education and safety to the residents and tourists who visit Citrus County. Aside from routine patrol duties for manatee zones and safety violations, the Marine Unit is also tasked with responding to boaters in distress and searching for issuing boaters. The Marine Unit actively works with the U.S. Coast Guard and other State and Federal agencies in the area to enforce these safe boating operations.