Press Release 7/13/18

PERTH AMBOY – Mayor Wilda Diaz is pleased to announce the launch of the City’s first dive team with members from both the Perth Amboy Police and Fire Departments.

“I am so proud of our public safety officials, their bravery and tenacity continues to offer the best emergency services to our families. The Perth Amboy Dive Team in the first of its kind in Middlesex County and as a waterfront community, we are making the most of our resources and expanding services to ensure safety on land and off shore, said Mayor Wilda Diaz.

There are 16 members of the Perth Amboy Dive Team, which is made up of 11 firefighters and five police officers. They have completed their SCUBA Dive Rescue Certification training this week. There are 10 additional firefighters on the team that are being trained as dive tenders. The Perth Amboy Dive Team was funded by the 2017 Port Security Grant that totaled $190,000. This included dive suits for all members, SCUBA equipment and accessories, training and a side scan sonar for the police and fire boats.

In the past year, members of the dive team completed initial PADI certification, as well as monthly training, preparing them for this past week’s training and certification. The team will be fully functional in the upcoming weeks, available to respond to rescue and recovery calls within the city and surrounding communities.

In May, Perth Amboy was officially inducted to the New Jersey Regional Fire Boat Task Force. The task force, a first of its kind shared services agreement, was formed in September to improve the safety and efficiency in the waterfront communities of Edgewater, Hoboken, Jersey City, Bayonne, Newark, Kearny, Carteret, Elizabeth, Perth Amboy, and Secaucus. 

*Photos submitted by the City of Perth Amboy