Dive Team

The Dixie County Dive Team is a joint and collaborative team of divers from the Dixie County Sheriff’s Office and Dixie County Emergency Services. The goal of the Dixie County Dive Team is to respond to any water-related operation rapidly and to safely affect any waterborne recovery, rescue operation, or criminal investigation. The Team responds to calls in all areas of Dixie County.

The team members are either Deputy Sheriffs or Emergency Services Personnel who volunteer for duty in addition to their regularly assigned duties without extra compensation. The standards for the Team are high and require extensive training provided by the Sheriff’s Office and Emergency Services.

It must be emphasized that this type of diving differs from sports diving! Deep cold water, zero visibility, and polluted waters are the norm, not the exception. These divers must also consider the availability of resources, depths, times, air pressure, search patterns, lines, and body bags. The list is endless. All of the above factors, and then some, make up this type of diving environment.

Types of Diving Operations

Types of Diving Operations are drowning investigations, homicides involving water, weapon recovery, and suicides involving water; auto crashes that involve water, auto thefts disposed of in water; boating crash investigations, the suspicious sinking of vessels; and recovery of stolen property operations that may require the Dive Team. The team also responds to unique community needs.