On Nov. 17, members of Bucks County’s Public Safety Dive Team used Aqua Pennsylvania’s Churchville reservoir for a training exercise where they performed a simulated search.

The search simulation involved putting a mannequin at the bottom of the reservoir, with each diver spending about 15 minutes beneath the surface during the exercise. During these drills, divers wear approximately 60 pounds of scuba gear and protective dive equipment, which fully encapsulates them to safeguard against the conditions of the underwater environment.

“We dive in all types of conditions including extreme cold, during hazardous weather, at night, in fast-moving currents, and in water with zero visibility like in your reservoir,” Michael Stellato, Special Operations Coordinator with Bucks County Emergency Services Division, stated. “The divers must deal with entanglement hazards, temperature, and keeping oriented to complete their search patterns. Our calls typically fall into two categories: one is a call to search for a missing body, and the second is a request from the police to recover evidence that is underwater such as a gun or a knife.”

Stellato adds that the Public Safety Dive Team does training dives once a month throughout the County, typically trying to move the training locations around between lakes and rivers like the Delaware River to give the divers varied experiences.

“The training we were doing on Sunday was boat-based search patterns looking for a mannequin that we placed on the bottom,” he said. “It is very important that our divers get to train in environments that they will likely experience during live calls.”

As these drills are crucial in preparing divers for the moment duty calls, Aqua Pennsylvania is proud to do its part to assist them in their critical training.

“Every day, first responders give their all to keep our communities safe,” said Marc Lucca, Aqua Pennsylvania President. “Aqua Pennsylvania is part of those same communities and it’s important that we support those emergency workers when we can. Giving them access to one of our reservoirs, like Churchville, to conduct life-saving training is just one way to show that support.”

The collaboration between Aqua Pennsylvania and the Public Safety Dive Team reflects a shared dedication to community welfare and environmental stewardship. Whether it’s enabling emergency training or preserving local reservoirs, these initiatives are vital for ensuring safety and sustainability in Bucks County.

Learn more about how Aqua Pennsylvania supports local initiatives and how it is committed to giving back and helping communities thrive.