Twelve firefighters — including seven from the Manteca Fire Department — are part of swift water rescue teams activated statewide as California braces for potential serious flooding.

There are 13 California Office of Emergency Services Swift Water/Flood Search and Rescue Teams located throughout the state.

The teams conduct search and rescue in the water environment. That includes searching disaster areas that have become flooded, conducting rescue operations in collapsed structures inundated by floods, tsunamis, dam failure, or other water-related disasters, accessing and rescuing persons and companion animals trapped by flood waters during disasters.

As of Monday, the Cal OES has pre-positioned resources they deployed to Los Angeles, Orange, Ventura, Contra Costa, and El Dorado counties. They have additional resources yet to be deployed including the local unit that was activated Sunday.

The South County-based unit is under the command of Lathrop Manteca Fire Division Chief Larry Madoski.  

In addition to the seven Manteca firefighters, four firefighters from Tracy-based South San Joaquin County Fire Authority are on assignment in Lathrop where they are staging for quick response.

They are conducting training while they wait to be deployed anywhere in California. On Monday, they did respond to a local flooding incident on Chrisman Road in Tracy.

The unit — just like strike teams from local jurisdictions dispatched to major wildfires — is being paid by the state and will be on assignment until they are released by state emergency officials.

“We are extremely proud of our guys as well as proud to be working with our neighboring agencies to keep this county (and the state) safe,” said Sterrie McLeod, Manteca Fire Battalion Chief. 

The South County team was formed over two years ago.

Its deployment doesn’t create any exposure issues for Manteca as the department still has its own fully-trained water rescue unit.

McLeod said the Manteca water rescue unit often responds to assist Ripon Consolidated Fire Department with rescue incidents on the Stanislaus River.

McLeod noted the Manteca Fire Department has a strong working relationship with neighboring jurisdictions in order to assure resources are available to protect the public as effectively as possible.

The biggest concerns for state officials in  the coming days include:

*Rain on burn scars.

*The potential for rain on the Sierra snowpack that could increase runoff and force bigger releases from dams.

*The forecast is for rain in seven of the next 10 days . Even though precipitation is expected to be lighter than Monday’s rain, saturated soil could magnify local runoff throughout the state.

Manteca Fire over the weekend responded to downed power lines.

As for other issues in Manteca, Fire Chief Dave Marques praised city street crews that have helped keep storm drains cleared. And while there has been water backed up in some locations, it has been minimal compared to what could have occurred.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com