As the year 2004 winds down, I would like to take this opportunity to reflect on what we have accomplished at Bamsar and talk about where we are headed in the upcoming year. But first, I would like to give mention to some very special members of the Bamsar, starting with John Foley my Secretary Treasurer, Center Moriches FD. John makes sure that everyone, myself included, receives information in a timely and accurate manner.  I could go on for pages about what John is doing in the background, but I think all of you are aware of his efforts. John, hats off to you and kudos for your tireless efforts. Next, I want to acknowledge Chief Bill Biondi, Mastic Beach FD, whom I consider my Sergeant Major, the top doer. If something needs attention, especially last minute, Billy is the man for the job. He is a tireless figure in the Firematic Community and shoots from the hip. He says it like it is… no icing… no polish… just straight up. Bill, thank you for being you and working with me to make my road easier to travel. I can’t forget to mention the most important part of our organization: the Dive Team Leaders and the team members from our various Fire, Police and EMS agencies. You are what this group is all about, and I take great pride in what we have accomplished together.

Now, let me cover what we have achieved this year and where we are going. In 2004, we continued our basic Dive Rescue 1 Public Safety Diver certification in May, and we certified another 20 divers. More importantly, we established the nucleus for the Brookhaven FD’s expansion and reorganization of its Water Rescue Team. Our May course also trained Deputy Jim Bowra of the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department. Jim went on to become a Dive Rescue International Trainer. Special congratulations to you, Jim.  That was no easy task… a week in Fort Collins doing boot camp.

Our member teams had individual and group drills that were exciting, informative, and beneficial for multi-team efforts to seamlessly come together at a moment’s notice and integrate to complete rescue missions. Most notably, this year held our first Level 2 certification in Current Diving sponsored by Bamsar and hosted by Eastport FD. We certified 15 divers in this technically challenging component of dive rescue. The course was given over a 3-day period October 9-11, and required long hours of study and practical exercises that were complex and challenging for the attendees. For the first time, in a hands-on environment, we witnessed what a monumental task it is to establish effective search procedures in fast moving currents. The logistics of supporting the class clearly identified what would be involved in an actual activation requiring these skills. I give my sincere thanks to all those who attended the class and the many members who worked in support-related tasks. We could not have made this class happen without you.  Additionally, the class gave us more experience working with other agencies from Law Enforcement and EMS. In the future, I hope to continue reaching out to Police and EMS and working to nurture a harmonious relationship based on mutual desire to serve the public with quality professionalism.

 Looking to 2005, we will be providing a DRI 1 class in the spring, as we have in the past 3 years. We will be providing another level 2 course in the fall. We will be spending the winter months developing a plan to purchase the necessary rigging and equipment for current diving and establishing a protocol for our member deployment in the event of a situation necessitating our specialized skills. We are planning to do a round table exercise with the Coast Guard as host for multi-agency activation in the event of a major event. We are in contact with the North Brookhaven confined Space and Heavy Rescue Team regarding water related issues at a heavy rescue scene.

 So there you have it, our year in a nutshell, so too speak. I feel we have accomplished a lot. We are headed in a good direction. Thank you all for your great support and personal commitment, without which, we would not be able to continue. Our December meeting (location to be announced) is a board meeting, where we will be discussing the 2005 training schedule and objectives. As always, this meeting is open to the general membership and your input is welcome. Let John Foley know if you are attending so we can make proper feeding arrangements. And above all, let’s take care and be safe. “Watch your bubbles.”

Timothy S. Dahlen

President