LAKE JACOMO, Missouri (14 Oct 2006) -- The team was only practicing a recovery mission, but the mood was focused. Divers sat on the pier ready while others searched for the plane, sunk just a few yards away. Support staff charted the divers' every move, from the time the dive began to the intervals of bubbles released by a diver while breathing. At a time when most people were enjoying after-work activities, the all-volunteer team prepared for the moment they would be called to duty. The call, like it has so many times during the team's 40 years, came early on July 22. Authorities in Lake Waukomis, Mo., needed someone to recover the bodies of two young men who had drowned. The team responded, diving 25 feet in the 100-acre lake to recover the bodies. While giving respect to family of the victims, members of the squad said the rescue itself was routine. "You never want to see a family lose two boys," said team member Keith Bradford, "but we train for these situations. There is a lot of pride and responsibility with our name. If I do something to screw up or somebody gets hurt, it ruins our reputation." "We don't want to take credit, but at least we're there to bring closure." The 23 men and women team members respond to more than 120 calls annually. The foundation for the team's reputation was laid in 1966, when a group of divers gathered at Lake Jacomo to assist in the recovery of a boy who had drowned. After a successful recovery, the freelance divers gathered around the truck of a Lee's Summit volunteer firefighter and began the formation of the team. Much has changed since then. Once an arm of the Lee's Summit Fire Department, the team split from the city unit in 1988 and formed its own non-profit organization with plans to service the greater Kansas City area and beyond. | | Debbie Donnell adjusts her mask during a training dive at Lake Jacomo. (Jeff Stead/Examiner) The separation didn't include a new name, however. Although the team is based in Fleming Park, near Lee's Summit, the organization is now more a collection of individuals from throughout the metro. The personal and professional lives of the individuals are varied but all are connected by team-issued pagers. The device is used to call the men and women to duty - any time, anywhere. Balancing lives with the team obligations is not easy. "It's pretty difficult. My wife is pretty understanding," said Dean Baker, a three-year member and electrical contractor. "I run a business and that demands a lot of time. I'm a dad and my kids demand a lot of time too. We'll be doing something, and they'll hear the pager go off." "They ask 'Are you going dad?' " he added. "They know." The team requires volunteers to have more than 10 hours of training and be 21 years or older. No fewer than five members take part in an operation. Because of family, jobs and other obligations, stress can build, resulting in team turnover. "Some people leave. If you don't answer the page, it's harder on everyone else," said Chris Agee a team member of 10 years. He noted the team is understanding if someone wants to walk away. "Family and jobs are first. This is just a part-time thing." Team members have a variety of jobs ranging from blue collar construction to information technology. SOURCE - The Examiner |
