Sarpy County Sheriff’s Office working on creating 'dive team'
Tuesday evening, Papillion City Council will vote on a proposal to create a dive team in Sarpy County.
The team would consist of members from the Sarpy County Sheriff's Office, LaVista Police Department and Papillion Police and Fire Departments.
"We assessed all the cases that we've had in the county over the last few years and we thought this is something we need to do," Lt. Dennis Svoboda with the Sarpy County Sheriff's Office said.
The team would consist of eight divers and two commanders — personnel Svoboda says is already picked out. Each agency would pay for the equipment its members use and for the cost of each members' training: a price tag of roughly $15,000.
"This just gives us one more tool in our toolbox to provide the citizens of Sarpy County the best possible services we can," Svoboda said.
Right now, the area has two dive teams: Omaha Fire Department and Yutan Volunteer Fire Department. Other agencies, such as Waterloo Fire & Rescue, can do water rescues but not dives.
The difference between a rescue and a dive — typically — is recovery.
"A dive team is more going to be recovery mode where there's no life to be saved and it's a slower process," Travis Harlow, Waterloo Fire & Rescue's fire chief, said.
During water rescues timing is everything, according to Harlow. Once it's past the point of a rescue and turns into recovery things slow down and become more meticulous. Harlow says having a third dive team in the area will be critical.
"It will help us have more manpower and dive teams can collaborate and work together," Harlow said.
Svoboda envisions a dive team that can cross jurisdictions and assist Waterloo, Valley, Omaha and countless other surrounding areas.
"Sarpy County is surrounded on three sides by river, we nearly have 60 miles of river on our borders," Svoboda said.
The proposal needs to pass through LaVista City Council, Papillion and the Sarpy County Board of Commissioners. According to Papillion fire Chief Bill Bowes the proposal shouldn't hit any snags and will pass through. Once that happens the team can get started on ordering equipment and training.
Svoboda hopes to have the team operational by this summer.
Anyone interested in donating to the dive team can do so through the Midlands Community Foundation. Follow this link to do that.