Emergency response agencies in Fannin County on June 6 conducted classroom and on the water training for man overboard and lake rescue procedures.
The Fannin County Sheriff’s Office will have three or four full-time deputies working only lake patrol and search and rescue on Bois d’Arc Lake.
The office is located at the Bois d’Arc Lake Operations Center and has a dedicated boat and side-by-side for patrolling the area.
During training, participants learned response, rescue and survival tactics including responder safety, activation of response system, scene safety, hazard recognition, and information gathering.
Officers also learned self-rescue techniques including swimming and treading water as well as how to get their duty belts off quickly, protect their gun inside their vest or use the vest as a floatation device, and even learn how to remove their pants, fill them with air, tie the ends, and use them for floatation.
The North Texas Municipal Water District, TPWD Game Warden, District Coordinator for Texas Division of Emergency Management, Fannin County Sheriff’s Office and Office of Emergency Management were all in attendance.
Bois d’Arc Lake is currently not open for recreational use as completing construction and other conditions such as having a safe level of water must take place before the lake can open for boating, fishing and other recreational activities.
The North Texas Municipal Water District (NTMWD) is consulting with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the Fannin County Sheriff’s Department to determine the appropriate time.
NTMWD will notify the public when Bois d’Arc Lake is ready and safe to open for recreation.
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