Swiftwater rescue gear at the Autryville Fire Department will be used during emergency events.
                                 Courtesy Photo

Swiftwater rescue gear at the Autryville Fire Department will be used during emergency events.

Courtesy Photo

<p>After receiving certification from state officials for swiftwater rescue, a boat will be used to rescue residents throughout Sampson County.</p>
                                 <p>Courtesy Photo</p>

After receiving certification from state officials for swiftwater rescue, a boat will be used to rescue residents throughout Sampson County.

Courtesy Photo

<p>During Hurricane Florence, Oakland (Calif.) Urban Search and Rescue Task Force 4 Bravo Team worked with local first responders in making swift water rescues. Here, they float down the road in Sampson. The Autryville Fire Department recently earned Swiftwater Rescue Certification from the North Carolina Association of Rescue and Emergency Medical Services, Inc.</p>
                                 <p>Oakland USAR Task Force 4|Courtesy photo</p>

During Hurricane Florence, Oakland (Calif.) Urban Search and Rescue Task Force 4 Bravo Team worked with local first responders in making swift water rescues. Here, they float down the road in Sampson. The Autryville Fire Department recently earned Swiftwater Rescue Certification from the North Carolina Association of Rescue and Emergency Medical Services, Inc.

Oakland USAR Task Force 4|Courtesy photo

AUTRYVILLE — As hurricanes and flooding continue to be inevitable for Sampson County, Chief Andrew Hawkins and fellow firefighters are now prepared to save lives during the aftermath.

The Autryville Fire Department recently earned Swiftwater Rescue Certification from the North Carolina Association of Rescue and Emergency Medical Services, Inc. According to the department, it’s not only a first for the station, but a first for Sampson County as well.

“We can go and get people out of houses or stranded motorists in rivers or anything else water related,” Hawkins said. “We actually haven’t had that resource as a county. We’ve had to outsource it every time.”

The swift water team will consist of first responders using inflatable boats to help during floods and hurricanes. Whenever they receive a call, Autryville will be dispatched and through a separate system and team members will be alerted. During previous disasters, Hawkins said calls were made to Pender and Cumberland counties for assistance.

“A lot of the chiefs in our area really felt that this was something that we needed in our end, but nobody really took that step towards it,” he said. “A bunch of our members came to me and this was something that they were passionate about.”

Autryville hosted a water rescue certification class. Through grants and funding, the department was able to purchase a boat, motor, and enough gear to outfit an entire team.

“What that did for us was allow us as a department to offer that service,” Hawkins said. “But it also granted us the ability to be the Sampson County rescue team.”

The offer is opened up to anyone in the county or surrounding area that’s willing to assist the area. Once the application process is available, they’ll be a part of the division. Hawkins hopes it creates additional teams around the county with more boats and resources in the area.

“If something was to happen in the Harrells area, we’re the furthest away,” he said. “That’s not a bad thing because maybe it’s not flooding in our area. But it takes us a good amount of time to get there. So if we have more teams, we’ll get a faster response.”

So far, the swift water rescue consist of 14 people. The majority are from the Autryville station and the rest are from other departments in Sampson County.

“I’m hoping that it has so much interest that we have to run a class every year,” he said. “I hope that we’re overwhelmed with the amount of people who want to be a part of that group.”

About a year ago, the department received its light rescue certification which includes extrication and stabilization of vehicles during accidents. Now, the department is looking forward to adding the swift water component.

“We’re thankful that our county and the heads of our county see what we’re trying to do and that they’re in support of us,” he said. “We can do what we’re capable of doing on our level, but unless we have support from higher up, it’s kind of hard to grow projects like this

“I want it to be known as far as it can be heard that we want this to be a county team,” Hawkins said. “We’re really going to push as the weeks come for members of other departments who have interest.”

The developments are some of many for the department, especially after recovering from a 2017 storm event that leveled the station. Another is the construction of a helipad project, which will be built near the station. It was formed through a partnership between the department and Cape Fear Valley Health and its Mobile Integrated Healthcare LifeLink Air. It’s now in an application phase for a permit from the Federal Aviation Administration.

“COVID has had that slow down some, but they’ve gone and marked out the distance it’s going to be,” he said. “It’s moving fast and I’m hoping that within the next few weeks, we should start seeing some progress as far as something physical to see.”

Reach Chase Jordan at 910-249-4617. Follow us on Twitter at @SampsonInd and like us on Facebook.