CARTER LAKE — Two 16-foot War Eagle boats circled Carter Lake on Saturday as two crew members of a U.S. Coast Guard disaster response team practiced handling the 20-horsepower Honda boat motors attached to the sterns.
Chief Boatswain's Mate Adam Authement said the crew would be in the Omaha area for at least two weeks before a new Coast Guard team cycles through.
The team is based out of Memphis, but will be working with emergency management officials in Pottawattamie and Douglas Counties.
“We will be doing anything we are asked to do, including transferring personnel or equipment,” Authement said. “Obviously, if it came to it, we would be doing water evacuations.”
Authement said his team is one of seven across the country focused on urban and rural flooding rescue work.
The team practiced a “man overboard” scenario during training Saturday.
Lt. Jason Burroughs, who is acting as the Coast Guard liaison between the team and emergency management, said the training is a good way to engage with local officials.
“It is good to get out here and work with the local community,” he said.
Assistant Council Bluffs Fire Chiefs Matt Thomas and John Wickman and Pottawattamie County Emergency Management Director Jeff Theulen were among those meeting the crews. Thomas said he expects to give the team a tour of Council Bluffs this week.
“We hope they will talk with us about our evacuation and rescue plans, and see what ideas they might have,” Thomas said. “Hopefully they will bring ideas to the table that we haven't thought about yet.”
Carter Lake and parts of northeast Omaha and Council Bluffs have been identified for potential evacuation should Missouri River levees breach.
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