CORNWALL, Conn. — The death of a Connecticut State Police trooper who was swept away by the floodwaters of the remnants of Hurricane Ida in 2021 was a catalyst for two local first responders to start training for similar rescue events.
Lt. Dan Comen, a firefighter with the Southington Fire Department, and Lt. Zach Brown, with the East Hartford Fire Department, teamed up to create “Water Training Resources.”
“We are a water rescue training company serving New England — anything from swift water rescue to ice rescue and marine operations,” Comen said.
During a recent week-long certification class in the rough waters of the Housatonic River in Cornwall, 15 first responders from all over Connecticut and western Massachusetts participated in a “swift water vehicle rescue class.”
Instructors got state approval and put a cleaned-out and degreased 1996 Toyota Tercel in the Housatonic River to make the training as authentic as possible.
“More than 50% of drownings occur in people’s vehicles, so in order for responders to be prepared to respond to these incidents they need to actually do the training,” said Comen. “We are showing our students different techniques to make rescues from the vehicle.”
Sergeant Brian Mohl, a 26-year veteran with state police, died on Sept. 2, 2021, when his cruiser was swept away by floodwaters in Woodbury.
Capt. Ryan Doherty with the New Haven Fire Department was among the people working on getting his certification from Comen, Brown, and the other trainers on the Housatonic River.
“This is one of the most challenging experiences I have ever had in my career. It’s just very physically intense,” he said, adding that it was also one of the “most fun” experiences of his career.
“[The class is] as real as it gets,” Doherty said. “It is absolutely going to save a life.”
Comen said teaching specialized training in swift water rescue is about being on the same page.
“We are all family,” he said. “It doesn’t matter if it’s fire, police, or EMS – everyone has the same common goal.”
Jimmy Altman is a reporter at FOX61 News. He can be reached at jaltman@fox61.com. Follow him on Facebook, X and Instagram.
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