Savannah Firefighters Save Woman From Dangerous River

When a woman slipped beneath the surface of the Savannah River near Plant Riverside District on May 11, firefighters had only seconds to act. Two crew members in scuba drysuits jumped from their rescue boat and pulled her to safety as the current pushed them downstream.

That rescue lasted moments, but it showcased nearly a decade of specialized training. The Savannah Fire Department created its Marine Unit in 2015 to handle emergencies along one of the East Coast's most dangerous waterways.

Captain Stephen Sokolowski knows the river's challenges firsthand. "This is a very, very dangerous river," he said, explaining that commercial traffic, poor visibility, and strong tides create rescue conditions unlike anywhere else. Once you're a foot underwater, you can't see anything.

The unit responds to suicide interventions, dive rescues, offshore medical emergencies, and dock fires across the Savannah area. Calls involving people in the water rank among the most common, and each requires crews who know how to navigate buoyant debris and partially submerged objects moving fast with the current.

Every day, four firefighters arrive at River Street in a firetruck to inspect the department's five boats. They check engines, fuel systems, pumps, and water jets before the shift begins. The largest vessel, Marine 1, stretches 50 feet and can reach 40 mph during search operations.

The unit also trains with the U.S. Coast Guard on helicopter basket extractions, practicing how to lift patients directly from boats during offshore medical emergencies. "We want to work with other agencies so if there is an incident, we already know how to operate together," Sokolowski said.

Marine 2, a 29-foot landing craft, lowers its bow door to pick people directly from the water. Two smaller 17-foot skiffs handle shallow creek searches, while three inflatable boats deploy during hurricanes. Those inflatables saw heavy use during Hurricane Helene in September 2024, ferrying Bradley Point residents out of flooded neighborhoods.

The team uses side-scan sonar technology to search underwater areas when visibility drops to zero. The sonar creates detailed images beneath the surface, helping crews identify missing persons or objects even in the river's murky depths that can reach 50 feet.

The Ripple Effect

Sokolowski joined the fire department in 2011 after serving as an Army airborne infantry soldier. He had almost no boating background when he volunteered for the brand-new Marine Unit. Now he travels nationwide, helping other departments build their own marine rescue programs.

His impact extends beyond Savannah's riverfront. Fire departments across America are learning from the protocols and training methods developed here, creating a network of skilled marine responders ready to save lives on dangerous waters.

Most tourists only notice the Marine Unit during dramatic rescues or when Sokolowski shows off his "party trick" of parking the boat's bow within inches of River Street's concrete wall. But the real work happens in the daily inspections, the joint training sessions, and the constant preparation that turns seconds into lifesaving moments.