Space Coast firefighters train for flooding rescues: 'Tackling it as a region'
Space Coast firefighters train for flooding rescues
Dozens of firefighters spent several days strengthening their flood-rescue responses after catastrophic storms hit Titusville last October.
BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. - Dozens of firefighters spent several days strengthening their flood-rescue responses after catastrophic storms hit Titusville last October.
During the hands-on training, first responders learned how to protect themselves and victims during swift-water saves.
The backstory:
First responders across the Space Coast are taking proactive steps after extreme weather devastated parts of Brevard County last fall. In October 2025, Titusville took on roughly 20 inches of rain in a single afternoon—a deluge that broke a local rainfall record standing since 1924.
The catastrophic flash flooding left drivers stranded and residents trapped in standing water.
"We were hit very hard with a lot of rain in a very short period of time," said Titusville Fire Department Battalion Chief Greg Sutton.
Emergency personnel pulled several people from submerged vehicles and rising floodwaters during the historic event.
New flood training for first responders
In response to last October's storm, over 90 firefighters representing 12 different agencies gathered at Sandpoint Park in Titusville to sharpen their swift water rescue skills.
Crews practiced critical survival and rescue maneuvers, including jumping safely into fast-moving water while protecting their faces and throwing water rescue ropes to stabilize victims.
"Control the victim in the water, they float and they’ll bring them over," explained Cocoa Beach Fire Training Chief Scott Prevost. "What we're teaching are survival skills for them, protection for them and rescue techniques."
Beyond hands-on skill development, the joint operation was designed to streamline regional communication Brevard County departments.
"All of us throughout Brevard County saw especially after that incident saw the need to come together," Sutton said.
Prevost noted that unified preparation speeds up emergency dispatch when disasters hit: "Our response delay is shortened so when multiple 911 calls come in Titusville doesn’t get overwhelmed. They can hit that mutual aid button, and then we call start coming in, tackling it as a region."
The training was lead by SarTac which is a private rescue training company that’s certified to lead workshops like this.
What's next:
Following the success of the exercise at Sandpoint Park, organizers hope to make multi-agency swift water rescue drills a recurring event across the region. Leaders aim to establish it as an annual training program in partnership with the Space Coast Fire Chiefs' Association to ensure departments remain coordinated ahead of future storm seasons.
The Source: FOX 35 Reporter Esther Bower attended the training on Aug. 20, 2026. She also covered the Titusville flooding last year.