SHEFFIELD LAKE, Ohio — With kayaking back in season, one Northeast Ohio fire department is investing in their water rescues with two new jet skis.
For Josh Scott, kayaking is a job and his passion.
"We rent kayaks out of the Emerald Necklace here in the Cleveland metro parks," said Scott, manager and lead guide for 41 North Coastal Adventures.
Scott spends his days teaching people how to paddle and not flip in their kayaks so they don't have to be saved by fire departments like Sheffield Lake.
"Since 2017, we responded to 15 water-related emergencies," said Chief David Novak with the Sheffield Lake Fire Department
In Sheffield Lake, they've seen so many water rescues that they decided to invest their equipment dollars in buying two new jet skis.
"We can get really close to victims without hurting them, like with a bigger boat, you need more manpower," said Lieutenant Brian Davis, Sheffield Lake Fire Department.
They are top-of-the-line, fully equipped with gear needed for rescues and stored by the lake. So, when it's go time, they're ready. Before this, the department would rely on Avon Lake and Sheffield Village for aid with rescues, their response time was about 20 minutes, but now it's down to 8.
"We've got three miles of lakefront here that we're responsible for and our fire stations less than a quarter mile on five great lakes, and this is something we really felt we needed to have," said Novak.
This most prominent issue is when kayakers don't wear a life jacket and underestimate Lake Erie.
"Yeah, just use common sense, and you must respect the lake is very unpredictable. Things can change quickly," said Novak.
Scott sees all the time, which is why he's happy that Sheffield Lake's putting money into keeping kayakers safe.
"I'm ecstatic about it. I really think that having a skilled crew of folks that can operate these jet skis is not going to only make the lake safer for kayakers but for boaters and for anybody that ends up in the water on days where they weren't prepared," said Scott.
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