From drownings to boat wrecks and shoreline fires, first responders across Lake Wylie are preparing for emergencies before the busy summer season begins. Agencies from North Carolina and South Carolina spent two days running joint training exercises focused on coordination, communication, and rapid response when seconds matter most.
The joint training started three years ago, Training Officer Phillip Bryant, with the Steele Creek Fire Department, said.
“We just want to be able to work together and have that communication piece and understand each other’s assets, and how we can use each other to lean on in the coordination with that,” Bryant said.
On Thursday, training was in full swing. Dummies were thrown out on the water. There were mock 911 calls. Agencies were sent to an initial location. They scanned the water below the surface using sonar technology.
A mobile command was set up to coordinate the drills. There, they decide if they should return to the search area, using divers or a robot.
0 of 8
©2026 Cox Media Group
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/LH3JSJEF3VBLRJLJQESEAG34AM.png)
