Water Rescue / Dive Team

The Dive Team consists of 28 firefighters trained as Public Safety Divers and Dive Rescue Specialists. Team members respond from fire stations throughout Evansville, while the department’s dive equipment is housed at Station #3. As a result, Station #3 personnel play a critical role in supporting dive operations as dive tenders, boat operators, and equipment maintenance specialists.

The team utilizes specialized equipment, including Interspiro Divator and OTS Stealth full-face dive masks with underwater communications, as well as DUI dry suits that enable divers to operate safely in contaminated or cold-water environments. The addition of DUI TLS350 Public Safety dry suits has further enhanced the department’s capabilities by providing greater flexibility and improved fit through Zip Seal technology.

When water rescue operations require watercraft, the Evansville Fire Department maintains a fleet of three rescue boats. The department’s primary vessel is a 22-foot Scorpion aluminum-hull, V8 jet-drive boat capable of delivering 2,500 gallons of water per minute for firefighting operations. It is also equipped with a Humminbird side-scan sonar system that allows crews to search the bottom of the Ohio River for submerged objects.

The department’s Rescue One boat is a 16.5-foot vessel powered by a 60-horsepower Mercury outboard motor and equipped with a driver’s console, emergency and scene lighting, and a Helix Side/Down Scanner. This boat serves as the primary response vessel for Pigeon Creek and similar waterways while supporting operations on the Ohio River alongside the Scorpion.

In 2019, the department replaced its Zodiac inflatable boat with a Zodiac ERB 380 inflatable powered by a 20-horsepower Mercury outboard motor. The Zodiac is utilized for lake responses and to support operations involving the department’s larger rescue boats.