Dane County was hit with historic flooding, damaging many communities and causing first responders to work non-stop rescuing stranded motorists and evacuating residences and businesses during the summer of 2018.
Responders felt they needed access to additional training and resources for swift water and floodwater rescues. The available resources crews trained with for water rescues were often cut off or slowed down considerably by flooded or washed out roads, according to the Black Earth Fire Department.
In these conditions, aid requested from neighboring departments as close as 12 miles could take more than 90 minutes to arrive, according to the department.
The Black Earth Fire Department received grant funding from the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation. Since the funding, the department has received a rigid hulled inflatable rescue boat, ideal for flood and swift water rescue.