Red and yellow helmets bobbed up and down as budding firemen traversed the rocks that form the First Street rapids in the Deschutes River in Bend. It was an initiation of sorts for the five new firefighter/paramedics that started with the department on March 13. The five are spending the week learning how to rescue people in various situations as the department gets ready for summer. Tuesday was swift-water rescue, and the crew set up a zip line to carry each person across a dangerous stretch of the river. Knowing how to rescue recreationists from the city’s water systems is a crucial part of the job. Engineer Will Akins said the department responds to a request for a water rescue weekly in the summer.