Dive team making a comeback in Shoshone County

KELLOGG – A collaboration by area agencies has reformed the Shoshone County Dive Team.  

According to Shoshone County Sheriff Holly Lindsey, discussions to reform the team began a few years ago. In the years since, Shoshone Fire District #2 Chief Scott Dietrich has taken an active lead on restarting the group.  

Lindsey believes it’s been almost two decades since the county last had a specialized dive team, which folded after a team member suffered a neck injury during training. Attempts were made to restart the team under previous administrations, but none of them have been successful until now.  

Dietrich is happy with the progress the team has made, which currently includes five certified divers with three more finishing their training.  

“What started as a dive team is quickly turning into an all-hazard water rescue team to include dive rescue/recovery, swift water rescue, ice rescue, and flood rescue,” Dietrich said. “There is a need for this team, as the closest rescue divers are currently responding from Kootenai County.  Having this resource in Shoshone County will greatly improve response times to incidents on the Coeur d’Alene River and the chain lakes along Highway 3.”  

Along with the Shoshone County Sheriff’s Office and Silver Valley Fire Rescue, the Osburn Police Department is the third entity involved with the formation of the team. This collaboration was vital to the creation and viability of restarting the team.  

“All these agencies saw the need for the dive team, but none of these agencies had extra funds to purchase the required equipment, so we started a non-profit agency to start fundraising to purchase equipment,” Dietrich said. “To fully equip one diver for all-season response, it costs approximately $9,000.00. This does not include the other equipment required for swift water rescue, ice rescue, and flood rescue.” 

Dietrich’s plan is to grow the team to 10-15 divers, raise enough funds to purchase a boat, and then be able to train members of the team on how to operate the boat. Currently, the team is utilizing a trailer owned by Silver Valley Fire Rescue that is being outfitted to be the team’s mobile response trailer.  

Lindsey is thankful for Dietrich’s willingness to take the project by the reins. Cost restrictions aside, the SCSO currently lacks the manpower to staff and manage the team.  

“In a perfect world where our staffing was on point, we would still need to find grants that would pay for all of the scuba gear, watercraft, and pay,” Lindsey said. “We would also need someone to manage those grants as our team is somewhat tapped out on time due to the various grants we are already working on.”