Sept. 14, 2025, the 628th Civil Engineering Squadron Fire and Emergency Services mobilized a 12-person water rescue team in response to a high-stakes emergency on the Joint Base Charleston Naval Weapons Station Cooper River.
The incident involved a privately owned boat that crashed into Pier Bravo at the JBC- NWS, resulting in the ejection of three individuals into dark murky waters.
“I've spent the majority of my days on a boat here in the Charleston area for nearly 20 years,” said David Hawkins, Fire Station 6 lead firefighter captain. “This was probably the most serious call that we've had.”
Upon receiving the call, the team divided into multiple groups to cover vast areas. While one crew launched the rescue boat, Gator 1, into the water, remaining personnel utilized their training to thoroughly search the NWS shorelines. As the crew on land scanned the area, they were able to spot the wrecked vessel from the shoreline adjacent to the decommissioned Pier Bravo.
Gator 1 made its way through five miles of tidal waters, expertly navigating potentially dangerous conditions to reach the crash site. Once they arrived, the first crew walked half a mile onto the pier where they discovered three unconscious individuals floating next to the capsized boat. The team quickly began patient contact efforts and within moments, all three individuals regained consciousness.
“This could have been a lot worse," said Hawkins. “I'm just glad we're able to get everybody stabilized, treated and put in an ambulance.”
The team organized the extraction of the victims based on the severity of their injuries. The first person pulled from the water suffered a traumatic head and neck injury, with exposures of the skull and brain. The second victim sustained a compound fracture of the femur, with bone exposure, along with a broken ankle. The final victim suffered a broken ankle and a dislocated hip. The team administered the proper care to the injuries and ensured the victims were securely placed on a backboard before being handed off to the Coast Guard for transport to the waiting ambulances.
“We definitely don't get calls to that extent, so that was a very unique situation for all of us,” said Civilian Lt. Richard Gunther, Fire Station 6 driver operator. “We were able to do what we're here to do and everybody was able to go home alive.”
Throughout the operation, the water rescue team showed exceptional teamwork, collaborating with five different agencies to manage the response. They utilized three rescue boats and arranged three ambulances, ensuring transport from the crash site to a regional trauma center within 60 minutes of the incident, allowing the victims to receive timely medical care.
“The reason we all do this job is to help people,” said Gunther. “I felt a sense of accomplishment at the end of it.”
As a part of the 628th CES, the Fire and Emergency Services carries out its mission to provide emergency response capabilities to support mission partners across Joint Base Charleston. The decisive actions of the water rescue team are invaluable to providing emergency response and lifesaving support.
| Date Taken: |
02.20.2026 |
| Date Posted: |
02.23.2026 13:15 |
| Story ID: |
558606 |
| Location: |
CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: |
159 |
| Downloads: |
0 |
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This work, Heroes on the Pier, by SSgt James Harris, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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