Who were the Best FDNY SCUBA Divers pre-9/11 late 1990s?

[dave]

Who were the Best FDNY SCUBA Divers pre-9/11 late 1990s? Can anyone suggest any names?

 

[memorymaster]

They were and are all the best. In the early 1960's there was a Firefighter Ed Surko, (Rest In Peace) who was one of the founding divers. I forget if he went to the Marine Division from Engine 297 or vice-versa. Ed was featured, among other divers, in a WNYF article relating to a Dept. Of Hospitals bus that went off the road on Welfare Island into the East River.

 

[dave]

Thanks. I know that FDNY/ SOC used internal department Scuba instructors to train fire rescue and squad members. Can anyone come up with any names of these instructors from the 1990s (2000, 2001 prior to 9/11). These would have been active fire rescue and squad members who knew scuba diving well enough to teach others and were very good at it. Any names from that time?

Chief 68jk09 you were a member of Rescue 2 at one time. Anyone come to mind?

 

[dave]

For example, for the 1980s and early 1990s Rescue 1's lead scuba diver Paul "The Duck" Hashagen would be on the list. But what about for the 1990s (2000. 2001 prior to 9/11)? Any names?

 

[68jk09]

FDNY DIVE TEAMS.

Initially many,many,years ago the only FDNY Personnel that had a SCUBA Diving capability that was used while on duty were a few Members in the Marine Shops & their capability was basically used for inspection & repair of Fireboats & their piers....in the '60s a School Bus driving on the road...

nycfire.net

 

[entropychaser]

What about the the December, 1987 job where Rescue 5 members Dave Riechel and Mike Barone removed a hard hat diver trapped by a 87 ton concrete pipe in 60 feet of water? Is it not the deepest dive rescue ever made in NYC?

 

[BCR]

For example, for the 1980s and early 1990s Rescue 1's lead scuba diver Paul "The Duck" Hashagen would be on the list. But what about for the 1990s (2000. 2001 prior to 9/11)? Any names?

Paul was still at rescue 1 Into the 2000’s

 

[dave]

Agreed. Can you think of any Rescue or Squad scuba divers who also dove as a hobby or as a way to make extra money on the side? late 1990s (2000, pre-9/11 2001).

 

[TLTruckie]

Thanks. I know that FDNY/ SOC used internal department Scuba instructors to train fire rescue and squad members. Can anyone come up with any names of these instructors from the 1990s (2000, 2001 prior to 9/11). These would have been active fire rescue and squad members who knew scuba diving well enough to teach others and were very good at it. Any names from that time?

Chief 68jk09 you were a member of Rescue 2 at one time. Anyone come to mind?

Squads don’t dive …just the 5 Rescue companies. And ALL the present fdny scuba instructors are PADI certified instructors and dive masters. ….and its been that way for a long time. Never had anyone “who knew scuba diving well enough to teach others“ as instructors. The type of diving that the FDNY Rescue companies do is extremely dangerous ….it’s not “sport diving “ down in the Caribbean! So …only the best equipment and the best experienced and certified instructors.
SCUBA diving is probably one of the most dangerous discipline of all the jobs that the Rescue‘s perform!!

It’s only early July and look at all the dive jobs that have happened the past 5 weeks or so. I believe Rescue 4 as removed at lest 4 or 5 people from the water already this year.