Damon Fitness Center serves as training facility for divers
Divers refine their skills at the College’s Damon Fitness Center pool.
In a unique training approach, Lauderdale County Emergency Management Agency (LEMA)
officials found a different venue to prepare personnel for water emergencies – Meridian
Community College's Damon Fitness Center Pool.
Wade Heggie, fitness center director, said LEMA staffers approached him if the College’s pool, which has a depth of 10 feet, could be used by nine divers preparing for emergency diving certification in Pelham, Ala. The participants, who were from Meridian Fire and Police departments, Lauderdale County Sheriff Department, and Lauderdale County Volunteer Fire Departments, and the U.S. Homeland Security, performed diving exercises that simulated emergencies.
"They were able to sharpen their skills and enhance their emergency response capabilities," Heggie said. He added that this is an excellent example of city and county coming together and the College being available for the community.
To learn more about the Damon Fitness Center, visit meridiancc.edu/fitness.