As part of their regular monthly training sessions, Clallam County Fire District#3’s Technical Rescue Team responders took to the waters of Sequim Bay on May 18.

Six members with specialized boat operation training participated in a three-hour exercise at John Wayne Marina. National Safe Boating Week (safeboatingcampaign.com) was May 20-26, and staff wanted to encourage everyone out on the water to focus on safety, fire district officials said.

Clallam County Fire District 3 has about 50 miles of coast line where it borders the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the three inner bays: Dungeness Bay, Sequim Bay and Discovery Bay account for most of that border.

Responders practiced trailering the districts Mercury Inflatable Rescue Boat, launching and recovering, and basic operations and handling.

Once out of the waters of Sequim Bay, the crew participated in man-overboard-rescues and demonstrated “par buckling” — a technique to pull a victim back onto the boat. Shore based team members, after contacting and notifying the local U.S. Coast Guard base and Pencom Dispatch Center, demonstrated aerial signaling, where they launched five expired flares over the bay.

No injuries reported during the training, district representatives said.

Fire District 3’s Technical Rescue Team marine unit has responded in the past to missing person searches, overdue kayakers and more.

Fire district representatives encourage community members to be safe on the water, and to wear an approved and properly fitted life jacket.