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Bay County marine patrol outlines search-and-rescue operations, equipment needs
Summary
At the Aug. 5 Bay County Committee of the Whole meeting, Bay County Marine Patrol leaders described recent search-and-rescue calls, training and new equipment and said a budget proposal to consolidate and sustain the unit will be presented during the county budget process.
Bay County officials heard a presentation Aug. 5 from the Bay County Marine Patrol on the unit’s training, equipment and recent rescues, including a near-capsize that crews brought aboard within minutes.
Scott Carmona, the presenter identified as representing the Bay County Marine Patrol, and Sheriff Troy Cunningham described the patrol’s responsibilities across roughly 30 miles of shoreline and about 188 square miles of water, and they outlined new equipment, training needs and plans to consolidate marine-related teams for budgeting and operational efficiency.
Carmona told commissioners the patrol now combines dive teams, winter river patrols, underwater and aerial drones, an airboat and other craft. He said the county has received grant-funded assets and that a $390,000 “safe boat” is on order. "We're Bay County. We're guardians of the water. We're gonna get it done," Carmona said, describing the unit’s approach to public education and rescue operations.
The presentation included recent incident summaries. Carmona recounted a call in which a pontoon boat was found listing at a steep angle and two people were taken aboard; he said deputies located the craft about 2–3 miles from where the boater reported the location and reached the scene within roughly 17–19 minutes from dispatch. He also described a separate call involving young people in a small boat taking on water and several other responses in which deputies helped get disabled or drifting vessels to safety.
Carmona and Cunningham emphasized routine public education (life-jacket checks, registration guidance, no-wake zone enforcement) and charitable touches—Carmona said deputies sometimes give small rewards to children wearing life jackets. They described training including ice-rescue and dive-team exercises, and showed photos and video of the new airboat and other equipment stored at local docks and fairground storage. Carmona said the patrol practices to reduce response times and wants to further consolidate storage and assets so crews can assemble and deploy faster.
Commissioners and attendees praised the patrol’s work and indicated the presentation will inform an upcoming budget proposal. At least one commissioner said the patrol would bring a formal budget request to the county’s budget process so the board can consider funding needs.
The board moved to receive the report by voice vote.
Why it matters: Bay County’s marine territory covers a large area of water used for fishing, boating and winter ice activities. Patrol staffing, training and equipment affect public safety and emergency response times on popular waterways and at community events such as fishing tournaments.
What’s next: Patrol leaders signaled they will submit a funding proposal during the county’s budget process and continue training and equipment consolidation.
