SCHENECTADY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — On Saturday, the Schenectady County Water Task Force and the Schenectady County Drone Team organized their water rescue training for first responders.

“The training and the comradery and working with each other benefits all the residents of Schenectady county and the businesses,” Tom Constantine, Chairman of the Public Safety Police and Fire Committee, said.

Scott Pike, Schenectady County Fire EMS Coordinator, said that the training included a variety of scenarios so that first responders are better prepared for real-life situations. They also plan on having this type of training every month.

“It’s always important to train in real-world incidents,” he said. “We act as we train. So the more training and proficient we become with that training, the more skilled we are to do our job.”

Officials wanted to provide more opportunities to learn how to respond to emergencies around the water. The water rescue scenarios included helping a swimmer with an overturned kayak, shore rescues, and how to pull folks back to shore.

Along with the training, officials shared some boat safety tips for those planning to head out to the water. Officials also said that it’s essential for boaters to know what to do.

“Make sure you have the proper personal safety devices. Definitely take the boat safety courses out there,” Pike said. “Because the better off you are trained as a boat operator, the better off you’ll be in the water.”