By Lauren Wanko
Correspondent
During an emergency water rescue drill, this distressed swimmer is swooped onto a jet ski sled within seconds.
“The goal is to get there within two minutes of that call because people who are in trouble on the surface don’t stay there long,” said Answer Water Rescue Team Co-Commander Chip More.
These rescue swimmers are part of the A.N.S.W.E.R. Team, short for Area Network of Shore Water Emergency Responders. About 20 years ago, one of the founders — More — saw the need for this kind of team during the off-season and off-duty lifeguard hours.
“A.N.S.W.E.R. is really the epitome of regionalization and shared services,” said More. “The purpose of A.N.S.W.E.R. was to take the existing emergency services, the lifeguards, the EMS folks, people who already are doing these jobs in these towns and form them into a hybrid unit.”
A.N.S.W.E.R. team members come from Neptune Township, Neptune City, Avon-by-the Sea and Bradley Beach. The 911 call goes through county communications says More, then the A.N.S.W.E.R. Team is notified and deployed. During this drill the victim tells his rescue swimmer that he can’t spot his friend — who is still in water. The diver — already geared up — deploys over the side of the boat.
“You’re focused on one thing, that’s recovering your victim,” said A.N.S.W.E.R. Water Rescue Team Rescue and Recovery Diver Gary Nokes.
There’s always a back-up diver and rescue swimmer standing-by.
“We want to make sure the people who are doing the job came back from the job,” said More.
A safety line is fastened to the diver’s suit, a line tender guide’s the diver’s search. Underwater he’s doing an arc sweep, where the victim was last spotted.
“There’s a series of tugs and that’s the way we can communicate with the diver down below,” Nokes said.
The diver’s also uses underwater communications gear.
The A.N.S.W.E.R. Team launched on June 1, 1996. The all volunteer group got their first call that day and they ended up saving a fisherman. There are about 180 men and women on call 24/7. About 60 respond to water rescue emergency and eight different divisions head to the scene.
That includes the rescue swimmers who carry life-saving equipment in their cars. The dive team, communications, traffic and scene security, crisis counseling, the boat crew and the EMS division.
“Our philosophy is until we actually know what we have, all of those components are essential to at least get started toward the scene,” More said.
The Neptune Township OEM Field Communications Mobile Unit is used during major water emergencies.
“This field com unit becomes the command center which provides oversight for the entire scene,” said Neptune Township Deputy EMS Corrdinator Bil Rosen.
The A.N.S.W.E.R. team’s next major drill is in early fall.