Chester firefighters are practicing life-saving swift water rescue techniques a year after 6-year-old Li’najah Brooker drowned after falling into a rain-saturated Chester Creek, writes Madeleine Wright for CBS News Philadelphia.
Her death has emphasized the need to train for the next water emergency.
“I think it’s in the back of our minds all the time,” said Chester Bureau of Fire firefighter John Albany. “It’s not the first call that we’ve had, and it won’t be the last.”
The firefighters spent Wednesday at the Delaware River as part of a special training exercise to save lives in fast-moving water.
Albany portrayed a drowning victim floating in the river while his team raced to save him.
“Being out here training today just helps us hone in our skills and become more proficient in what we’re doing, especially with that tragedy that happened,” said firefighter Thomas Fanelli.
Li’najah Brooker was playing with her cousins in March 2024 when she slipped into the water. Her body was never found despite a multi-day search.
“We’ve used that incident in training to try to, you know, what can we do better?” Albany said.
Swift water rescues require extra preparation beyond standard fire calls, firefighters said.
Find out more about the training for water rescues at CBS News Philadelphia.
