PORTLAND, Conn. — First responders are taking a deep dive into Evolution Scuba's high-tech scuba training at Brownstone Adventure Sports Park in Portland.
Since 2018, Evolution has been teaching highly-specialized scuba instruction to first responder teams from across the country.
Ed Hayes, the owner of Evolution, is a veteran diver of more than four decades.
"We specialize in high end, cave, technical, public safety and military scuba," Hayes said. “It’s higher education for diving.”
Beneath the surface at the Brownstone Quarry, Hayes and his team have submerged a school bus, a car and all sorts of obstacles that simulate real life scenarios.
On a sunny and unseasonably warm fall Monday, the Connecticut State Police Dive Team was in the cold quarry waters training with the latest equipment they are hoping to get funding for in the months ahead.
“The conditions we are going in are the conditions most people would say 'I’m not going to dive today' and we really don’t have that option," said John Brester, a veteran member of the State Police Dive Team. "We’re going into confined spaces, contaminated water, when it’s dark out, when the currents are ripping.”
Haynes noted that just in the past few weeks, teams have come to Portland for the specialized training that Evolution offers.
Evolution also has the means to bring its training on the road and teaches courses both in Virginia and in Florida.
“We had people yesterday from Philadelphia, from New Jersey, from Maine, New Hampshire, two from New York City, all the teams come here and train," Hayes said. “We teach a very unique art and discipline of diving to all of our customers.”
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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