Marietta Firefighters Recognized For Swift Water Rescue Training

MARIETTA, GA — This week, members of the Marietta Fire Department earned state recognition for conducting a swift water rescue training in the country of Georgia.

MFD firefighters Ron Presley, Blaine Whealy, Kyle Weber and Assistant Chief George McKeehan used personal vacation time to travel to Bojormi, Georgia (the country) and train Georgian Emergency Management Services in swift water rescue techniques from July 26-Aug. 6, according to a news release. Maj. Gen. Tom Carden, Georgia (the state) National Guard's adjutant general, recognized all four men in a small ceremony Monday.

The rescue course — first designed by MFD in 2009 and funded by the U.S. Department of Defense's Overseas Humanitarian, Disaster and Civic Aid fund — trains students in lifesaving methods in a flood or swift waters caused by heavy rains, hurricanes or other natural disasters. The training is coordinated through the Georgia National Guard State Partnership Program.

The State Partnership Program was established in 1993 to partner U.S. states with former Soviet republics to help those new countries establish their own military organizations. The partnership between the two Georgias was established the following year and continues to grow with government professional and personal relationships to this day, the news release said.

“We are honored to be able to be in the position where our department can provide much needed training to other agencies,” Marietta Fire Chief Tim Milligan said. “I am very proud of our firefighters for their willingness and eagerness to continue to stay dedicated to being well versed on the most effective methods of rescue training. The fact that members of our department would take vacation time to travel to the country of Georgia speaks volumes to the type of people they are, and the caliber of firefighters employed by our great city.”