NEGAUNEE, Mich. (WZMQ) – On Wednesday the Marquette County Sheriff’s Office diving team helped the Lions Club at Teal Lake while completing routine training.
“Dive team falls under the special operations division, we train monthly,” said Lt. Errol Lukkarinen from the Marquette County Sheriff’s Office Special Operation Division. “Today’s training is to assist the Lions Club with their fundraiser to remove their structure out of Teal Lake.”
The Lions Club “Teal Lake Meltdown” structure remains in the lake after it falls through the ice in the spring, and removing it can be valuable training for the Sheriff’s Office divers.
“It’s just a really good exercise full through, all the way because we can get multiple divers down to work on communication and we can also work to get something up out of the water,” said Deputy Mike Anderson. “So it’s good practice.”
Anderson and Lukkarinen said consistent training is vital to being able to conduct operations safely and effectively.
“It’s super important because it helps with our consistency,” said Anderson. “If we don’t do it for a few months you lose it I believe so getting out and being able actually get wet and get in the water is really good for us.”
“It’s important to keep all of our divers current on training and to keep everybody safe,” said Lukkarinen.
Though they hope they never need to make a rescue, Anderson said they always need to be ready.
“If somebody needs a water rescue we’re very important for that, if somebody puts their vehicle in the water or any other type of equipment we’re trained to go get that equipment up and out of the water,” said Anderson. “Hopefully we can be useful and get things out of the water and hopefully save a life.”
Lukkarinen reminds everyone to boat and swim safely when getting out on the water this summer.
