MILFORD, Conn. — Around 8 p.m. on Monday night, Milford firefighters received reports of four young men trapped out on 'Flagpole Rock' at Anchor Beach.
"Engine six, the crew members, they immediately donned exposure suits otherwise known as Mustang or gumby suits," said Adam Hansen, Battalion Chief with the Milford Fire Department. "And they tethered themselves in with a tagline and immediately went out to the rock to make contact with these parties."
Luckily, all four people were able to make it to shore safely. Hansen said there were no reports of injuries.
"It was a successful call and a successful mission," Hansen said.
Turns out, Milford firefighters get called to the same area for the same thing at Anchor Beach more than some may think.
"Whatever it is they're doing, they go out there because it looks nice. They're not aware of the time or the tide, and before they realize it, the tide has come in. Some can make it back but the other ones that aren't the strongest of swimmers, that's when we get the call," Hansen said.
As much as first responders get calls out of Anchor Beach, they respond to even more at Silver Sands State Park, where Charles Island causes dangerous conditions for people who don't know the area. Charles Island is connected to the shore by a sand bar. But when the tide comes in, that sandbar disappears.
"The strength of that current is extraordinarily strong. So when people are walking in, they get pushed right off the sand bar, into Long Island Sound," Hansen said.
Which is why firefighters are always preparing for water rescues. That's exactly what they were doing on Tuesday at McCann Natatorium.
"It just goes to show how much we take our water response seriously. This has been on the training calendar for the past three weeks now. And it just so happened that it coincided with an incident that happened yesterday," Hansen said.
The training is happening through Thursday, where the firefighters are testing out new equipment, like the AquaEye.
"It's like a thermal imaging camera, only meant for underwater," Hansen said.
The AquaEye can find potential drowning victims underwater. Right now, the fire department is only loaning it, to see if it's something they should purchase for future use.
The firefighters spent hours at the pool on Tuesday, even jumping in full fire gear.
"Now that might sound strange, but in Milford, we have a lot of ports, we have a lot of marinas, and what we get there, is a lot of boat fires and other emergencies," Hansen said.
Emergencies they're ready for at any moment.
"These are all things that we train on, on a regular basis," Hansen said.
Chief Hansen is reminding everyone to know the landscape of the water and know the tides. He recommends going out on the water in teams of two, just in case one person has to call for help. Hansen also reminds folks that even in June, the water is cold and it's still possible to get hypothermia.
Julia LeBlanc is a reporter at FOX61 News. She can be reached at jleblanc@fox61.com Follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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