It wasn't an actual water emergency, but the rescuers pulling bodies onto shore made it seem real.
Today, more than 200 rescue personnel from 21 agencies throughout Pierce County converged on Steilacoom for their annual water rescue exercise.
They trained at different stations along the Puget Sound in front of Sunnyside Beach. Whether they represented departments in Gig Harbor to Bonney Lake, from Lakewood to Puyallup to South King County, all seemed to take it seriously.
Divers, for instance, swam to a mock overturned kayak, where they rescued three "people" - two mannequins and a fellow rescuer playing a victim.
They flipped the kayak over, grabbed the victims and swam them safely to shore.
That was one of many exercises rescuers performed. Click on photos to view images from the day.
Photos courtesy of West Pierce Fire & Rescue
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