When dangerous floods or heavy rains inevitably come to South Florida or anywhere in the state, the Broward Sheriff’s Office’s new High Water Response Task Force is trained and prepared to respond.

The task force is comprised of dozens of divers – both men and women -- from BSO’s Department of Preparedness and Response and Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue. This week they’ve been undergoing a series of training exercises to sharpen their skills and to become certified in swiftwater rescue. On Thursday morning, a large group of task force members donned their safety gear and gathered their equipment to train in the ocean surf off Pompano Beach.

Over several hours of practical training on Thursday, the team practiced a series of rescues in the water, building endurance and testing their fitness for this physically demanding responsibility. In one scenario, three individuals pretended to be trapped in flood waters. Three two-person teams of rescuers swam to the victims, safely secured them and headed back to dry ground. Other rescue teams on land threw ropes to the rescuers and pulled them to safety. 

BSO’s Task Force training is teaching skills and techniques to rescue individuals trapped in their cars, homes, or in other high-water environments that rescuers must access by boat, vehicle or on foot.

“At the heart of every first responder is they want to help the community. This is a group of individuals, men and women, who both want to be there when people are at their worst, it’s a difficult time, and they want to go into those places, knowing there are risks involved, to provide the most service and the most help that they can,” said BSO Deputy Alexander Beer, Chief Diver and Chief Trainer for BSO’s Dive Rescue Team and High Water Response Task Force. 

BSO’s High Water Response Task Force was created following the torrential rainfall in the Fort Lauderdale-Dania Beach area in April 2023. National Weather Service reports show more than 20 inches of rain fell in the area, causing major flooding and damage.