LOCK HAVEN -- It may be too cold to take a swim outside now, but one of Clinton County's largest water rescue teams practiced with new gear in Lock Haven over the weekend.
Lock Haven's Citizens Hose Company thinks practice makes perfect. That's why members of its water rescue team got out of the cold and into the water over the weekend.
Around 20 volunteers tried on and trained with eight new dry suits and other water rescue equipment at Lock Haven University's Zimmerli Pool.
"We have dry suits, we have wet suits for the divers, and we have ice suits," said Chief Norman Wolfrom.
"We are one of the major water rescue teams and the only dive teams in Clinton County, so it's a big responsibility for us," said Citizens Hose Company Capt. Joseph Sanders.
With the new dry suits, firefighters will be able to get into the water more quickly but they will also be able to stay in colder water longer, something that has affected a rescue in the past.
"The flood came and we were involved in it. We realized we didn't have the adequate equipment to handle a large incident with a large amount of volunteers."
The company was working without dry suits for almost a year, so members applied for a grant through Clinton County Community Foundation and received around $2,500 to buy four new suits.
"Out of fundraising, the fire company decided to buy four more suits, were able to buy 4 more suits," Sanders said.
"These guys need to be protected if they are called out to be in the water for a long period of time."
The water rescue team will be back at Lock Haven's Zimmerli Pool next weekend practicing again with the new gear.