Gaston Rural Fire District

On most summer weekends there are many boaters out enjoying the sun at Henry Hagg Lake ... and then there are a few out on the lake to save lives.

Firefighters and emergency medical technicians spend their time patrolling the popular lake to help in emergencies large and small.

Spending a day out on the lake might sound like a vacation, but the folks who do it are all volunteers, and they've devoted a lot of time to train for the job.

They come from several Washington and Yamhill county agencies under the direction of the Gaston Rural Fire District, where the program was conceived by the chief in 2005.

Before they can participate they must, at a minimum, be an EMT First Responder, complete a 16 hour water rescue and personal watercraft course, and pass a swimming evaluation.

Once they qualify for the program, the volunteers ride two Sea Doo personal watercraft that the district bought with private grants.

Their job can be as simple as helping a tired rower back to shore, or as dangerous as rescuing a drowning swimmer. Regardless, they're doing it on their own time and at no cost to district taxpayers, thanks to generous donations from the community.

So if you see these folks this summer, say "Hi." You can even tease them about how rough it must be to spend their day out on the lake.

Just remember that they're volunteers giving their time to help you in an emergency.

For them, this is no day at the beach.

Do you have what it takes to join the Water Patrol? Click here to download an application.