Fire rescuers conduct safety exercises Published Aug. 12, 2011 By Jenny Gordon 78th Air Base Wing Public Affairs ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. -- If you had a chance last week to dip into the waters of the Heritage Club pool, you may have noticed members of the Robins Fire Department practicing rescue techniques. Alternating groups participated in the department's yearly in-house Basic Introductory Water Rescue Course, designed to teach the crew of more than 60 firefighters how to properly save victims in various situations. "This is to make sure our people are familiar with the equipment, and also know when to use it," said Capt. Tony Tabler. Properly attired in life jackets and hard hats, each firefighter would stand poolside and throw a yellow personal retriever disc, similar to a large Frisbee, into the water. Simulating a rescue operation in progress, another firefighter in the water would grab the disc while the other pulled him in. The disc weighs about three pounds and also serves as a flotation device for distressed swimmers. Pool lifeguards also assisted in showing firefighters how to use a spine board, which stabilizes a victim's head and injured back until pulled from the water to safety. While the exercise provided some fun time, Tabler stressed the department needs to be ready for a rescue situation on base at any time. That can include incidents at a nearby lake or even on a roadway after a heavy rainstorm. Dangerous conditions can occur when motorists innocently believe water on a road is safe to cross. But, people should never try to cross a road covered with water - looks can be deceiving, he explained. "Even if water is only 1-foot deep, you don't know if the road is still there," he said.