Dive teams train at Babcock Ranch lake for underwater emergencies

BABCOCK RANCH, Fla. (WINK)—Dive teams across Florida are turning a lake at Babcock Ranch into a training ground, preparing for the kind of emergency call every first responder hopes never comes.

Below the surface, speed only gets you so far when the water is dark, and your teammate may be right next to you but still out of sight. First responders are using pressure to prepare for the moments that matter most.

Teams are showing how they search, communicate, and recover what they need during emergencies. Pulling and tugging as fast as possible, these first responders face stiff competition.

"Practicing under pressure, it just helps," Deputy Matt Chandler from the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office said. "It makes the real-world stuff much easier."

Even with a perfectly clear mask, Chandler said the biggest challenge is the underwater darkness. The work is delicate, and visibility is limited.

"The teamwork there is just to trust your partner," Chandler said. "You can't see them, you don't know where they're at."

First responders from across Florida are facing off for the fourth year in a row. The goal is to put the equipment back together while underwater.

In the middle of the test, the tension between teamwork and visibility comes to a head. Teams have options for how to approach the challenge.

"They have the option to they can all try to put it together, all as one, or just a couple of people take the time, put the apparatus together," Chandler said.

While this challenge has a winner, the bigger point is making sure every team and first responder leaves more ready than when they started.