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Hillsborough Sheriff's dive team among best in country#
Hillsborough Sheriff's dive team among best in country
Updated: Tuesday, 16 Nov 2010, 9:00 AM EST
Published : Tuesday, 16 Nov 2010, 7:46 AM EST
TAMPA - The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office Underwater Recovery Team has proved to be among the best in the country.
The team finished in first place at the International Association of Dive Rescue Specialists, bringing home $1,500 in prize money.
The dive team decided to donate that money to the family of a fellow deputy, Mark Longway, who was killed in a September car crash.
"Deputy Longway had passed away while we were competing," Master Deputy Allen Dekle said, "and once they won the money, there was no question that the money that the dive team had won was going to the Longway family."
The members of the dive team have a tough and demanding job, and they don't often get rewarded for their hard work.
"Myself and seven other divers, we do a job that no one wants to do," Dekle said. "We dive where nobody wants to dive."
The deputies have to dive in rivers, lakes, and canals, and visibility is often minimal.
"We dive into the unknown," Dekle said, "and 99 percent of the time, the waters that we do dive into, we can't see. So everything is by hand and feel."
Dekle says being on the dive team is a voluntary assignment on top of regular duties as a deputy. In most cases, the person they're searching for is already dead. It's a career that isn't cut out for everyone.
"Finding someone's loved one that has been missing for days and weeks at a time," Dekle said. "That's our reward."
In addition to winning $1,500 in cash, they also won three dry suits and a full face mask!
Hillsborough Sheriff's dive team among best in country#
Hillsborough Sheriff's dive team among best in country
Updated: Tuesday, 16 Nov 2010, 9:00 AM EST
Published : Tuesday, 16 Nov 2010, 7:46 AM EST
TAMPA - The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office Underwater Recovery Team has proved to be among the best in the country.
The team finished in first place at the International Association of Dive Rescue Specialists, bringing home $1,500 in prize money.
The dive team decided to donate that money to the family of a fellow deputy, Mark Longway, who was killed in a September car crash.
"Deputy Longway had passed away while we were competing," Master Deputy Allen Dekle said, "and once they won the money, there was no question that the money that the dive team had won was going to the Longway family."
The members of the dive team have a tough and demanding job, and they don't often get rewarded for their hard work.
"Myself and seven other divers, we do a job that no one wants to do," Dekle said. "We dive where nobody wants to dive."
The deputies have to dive in rivers, lakes, and canals, and visibility is often minimal.
"We dive into the unknown," Dekle said, "and 99 percent of the time, the waters that we do dive into, we can't see. So everything is by hand and feel."
Dekle says being on the dive team is a voluntary assignment on top of regular duties as a deputy. In most cases, the person they're searching for is already dead. It's a career that isn't cut out for everyone.
"Finding someone's loved one that has been missing for days and weeks at a time," Dekle said. "That's our reward."
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:banana:NOTE: THEIR EQUIPMENT ASSEMBLY AND DON TIME WAS 47.91 SECONDS! :luxhello:In addition to winning $1,500 in cash, they also won three dry suits and a full face mask!
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SEE PRESS RELEASE AT: Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office - HCSO's Dive Team Honors Fallen Hero With Winning Effort
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