City of Riverside Fire Department maintains a Type 1 Water Rescue Team. The Fire Department has 51 Riverside Firefighters trained in swift water and maintains an equipment cache to support this specialized team. To maintain this specialized discipline the department members complete an annual swim test and boat operations training in Blythe, CA.
City of Riverside Fire Department also hosts a Cal-OES Type 1 Water Rescue swift water vehicle and trailer. The Swift Water Rescue Team responded to the Sacramento Floods, Hurricane Katrina and during the 2019 weather events completed multiple swift water rescues out of the Santa Ana River bottom.
In addition, California Task Force 6 (CA-TF6), which is 1 of 28 National Urban Search and Rescue Teams has this water rescue capability. The City of Riverside is the Sponsoring Agency to the National Task Force. This Water Rescue Team comprises of members from the City of Riverside, Corona Fire Department, Cal Fire / Riverside County Fire, Murrieta Fire Department and Pechanga Fire and can be used by the City, State and Nation. This swift water team responded to Hurricane Harvey (TX), Maria (Puerto Rico) and Olivia (HI).
