PORT ARTHUR, Texas — The Port Arthur Fire Department is outlining how they train and prepare themselves to assist in emergency situations.
The dive team was called out Tuesday, June 6, 2023 to help pull a car out of the ship channel near Pleasure Island.
Around 6:11 a.m., a 39-year-old man was driving in a Honda Civic in the 3000 block of South Martin Luther King and struck an oncoming vehicle, according to a news release from the Port Arthur Police Department.
The driver of the Honda was just getting off of work at the Cheniere plant according to Jefferson County Precinct Seven Justice of the Peace Brad Burnett.
The Honda failed to maintain control, went off the roadway and into the ship channel.
After an extensive search by Port Arthur Police Department and Port Arthur Fire Department, the vehicle and the driver were recovered, according to the release.
The case is still under investigation by Port Arthur Police Department’s Criminal Investigation Division.
The PAFD dive team is one of the most active in Jefferson County. They go to whatever scene law enforcement asks for their help on.
"The range of trainings and equipment is so important so that there is that capability when those events happen," Port Arthur Fire Chief Greg Benson said.
Divers suit up with oxygen tanks and masks, which helps them save lives or bringing families closure.
"There is not a lot, but it's always a high risk when we enter the waterways," said PAFD Dive Team Shift Leader Cody Labarbera.
Some of the tools used in their day to day include sonar technology on the boats, different vehicles or locating devices for people, cars or lost evidence.
"All areas of calls from vehicles in the water, to helping police departments in other cities to retrieve evidence or weapons on whatever cases that they are working on," Labarbera said.
Benson urges the importance of keeping those monthly trainings up to date.
"Maintaining that capability is really important because the team doesn't know exactly what the scenario is going to be, where it's going to be, what lives are going to be involved," he said.
These training is what helped play a part in the recovery that took place early Tuesday morning at Pleasure Island, in water that normally has little to no visibility.
"If you hold your hand in front of your face you would probably be able to make it out, but in certain depths you wouldn't be able to see it," Labarbera said. "Thankfully today, when we were making that recovery there was about a foot of visibility, which makes all the difference whenever you are down there trying to search for a victim."
The PAFD tells 12News they are receiving some new equipment to help aid them in future rescue of water calls.
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This is a developing story. We will update with more if and when we receive more confirmed information.