Emergency responders conduct rescue exercise on Thea Foss Waterway

A two-day conference under way this week in downtown Tacoma offered emergency responders the opportunity to practice an on-water rescue demonstration Monday afternoon on Tacoma’s Thea Foss Waterway.

According to Tacoma Fire Department spokesperson Joe Meinecke, a portion of the waterway was temporarily closed to allow the King County Sheriff Office’s Guardian 2 helicopter to carry out an Airborne Tactical Extraction Platform (or “AirTEP”) deployment by placing a Seattle Fire Department rescue swim team into a simulated water rescue scenario. Thea’s Park was temporarily closed to the public to allow participants to set up a helispot landing zone during the live demonstration.

Tacoma Fire Department, Seattle Fire Department, and King County Sheriff’s Office representatives conducted the joint training demonstration as part of the Marine Security West 2014 Conference, which is being held Tuesday and Wednesday at the Hotel Murano Bicentennial Pavilion in downtown Tacoma. Conference participants will tour the Port of Tacoma Operations Center and the City of Tacoma Marine Security Operations Center. Guest speakers include Tacoma Mayor Marilyn Strickland, Port of Tacoma Commission President Clare Petrich, and Washington State Representative Gael Tarleton. Local event sponsors include the Port of Tacoma, Washington State Parks and Recreation, Marine Exchange of Puget Sound, Regional Boating Association of Washington, and the Pacific Northwest Economic Region Foundation.

More information about the Marine Security West 2014 Conference is available online at maritimesecuritywest.com.

Area emergency responders participated in an on-water rescue demonstration Monday afternoon on Tacoma’s Thea Foss Waterway. (PHOTO COURTESY TACOMA FIRE DEPARTMENT)