Episode 5: Transcript

[00:00] Brittany: Walter Britton is a PADI instructor, retired police officer, and former public safety diver. He now takes on underwater jobs most people never think about, from salvage work to problem-solving below the surface.

[00:20] Brittany: Hello and welcome to the Dive Long Island podcast. I am your host Brittany McCabe and my guest today is Walter Britton.

[00:30] Walter: Thank you for having me.

[01:19] Brittany: So Walter, did you grow up on Long Island?

[01:22] Walter: Yeah, I grew up on Long Island up toward Bethpage, right by Grumman Aerospace.

[02:22] Brittany: When you were diving with your family for the first time, where did you say you were?

[02:28] Walter: In Nassau in the Bahamas.

[04:11] Brittany: And you said when you got into the police department is when it became more serious for you.

[04:16] Walter: Yeah, we had a dive team that consisted of one or two guys with the police department.

[05:47] Brittany: You would work a full day shift and then get called out?

[05:51] Walter: Almost all training was always scheduled, but the calls came whenever they came in.

[07:04] Brittany: It must have been challenging when it was only two people though.

[07:06] Walter: Initially it was.

[07:42] Brittany: Can you speak to that further? What are they looking for in public safety divers?

[07:47] Walter: They generally are trying to find people that have a level of athleticism and desire.

[09:29] Brittany: Can you walk us through what it's like to get a call?

[09:40] Walter: You'll find out a car was stolen and somebody sees taillights in the water.

[12:29] Brittany: There are a lot of groups that are working together under these circumstances.

[12:41] Walter: Hampton Bays has an excellent dive team.

[14:27] Brittany: Collaboration sounds like it's key.

[14:28] Walter: It really is.

[16:17] Brittany: You mentioned that the weather conditions play a huge role.

[16:39] Walter: That's a great question.

[19:22] Brittany: You mentioned that search patterns are key for different scenarios.

[19:29] Walter: All the search patterns I learned were through training.

[20:44] Brittany: How do you end up communicating with the diver?

[20:47] Walter: We have voice communications through a hardwired line.

[22:23] Brittany: I've seen a show on YouTube called Exploring With a Mission.

[23:39] Walter: There are several groups like that around the country.

[26:00] Brittany: Now for a car that has been sitting in salt water for 15 years...

[26:18] Walter: Well if the doors are open or closed, is the vehicle badly damaged?

[27:45] Brittany: Does the substrate play a role in how you remove the car?

[27:52] Walter: If it's a hard bottom it's a lot easier.

[29:03] Brittany: At this point you are retired from the police department.

[30:01] Walter: What I do is underwater repairs, some light underwater construction.

[31:44] Brittany: Do you find that the skills from the police department translate?

[31:52] Walter: Problem solving is really what it is.

[34:12] Brittany: If I ask you what one of your most challenging jobs is...

[34:18] Walter: Cold water diving is a huge challenge.

[36:00] Brittany: When the visibility is completely gone, how do you handle that?

[36:11] Walter: I close my eyes.

[38:14] Brittany: Do you think that's taught in the classroom or experience?

[38:20] Walter: It can be discussed in a classroom setting.

[39:28] Brittany: Have you witnessed somebody panicking?

[39:30] Walter: Yeah, I've seen it.

[40:13] Brittany: What do you think brings people to that edge?

[40:21] Walter: Usually one event past their ability to control it.

[41:36] Brittany: Have you witnessed anxiety overtaking the mind on a construction job?

[41:44] Walter: Most of those people have weeded themselves out.

[42:26] Brittany: I think being able to say today's not the day is undervalued.

[43:08] Walter: It's important to let the divers know that's okay.

[44:47] Brittany: If you did the same work in clear Caribbean water...

[45:00] Walter: It would feel different for me.

[46:28] Brittany: Do Northeast divers have additional tools on their belt?

[46:42] Walter: I absolutely do.

[47:31] Brittany: Is there something about Long Island diving that shaped you?

[47:38] Walter: Yeah, lots of wrecks.

[49:09] Brittany: Are there any tools that you turn to regularly?

[49:26] Walter: Hydraulic tools are popular.

[50:45] Brittany: Is there really a big difference underwater?

[50:50] Walter: First of all everything has to be waterproof.

[51:57] Brittany: Is your strength the same underwater?

[52:05] Walter: You need counter pressure to hold you in place.

[53:34] Brittany: What does it feel like when you complete a challenging job?

[53:46] Walter: It's really rewarding.

[54:21] Brittany: Do you look at yourself as a diver first or problem solver first?

[54:27] Walter: You have to be a diver first.

[55:03] Brittany: When people call describing a problem...

[55:20] Walter: Sometimes you wish they had more familiarity with what's happening.

[57:10] Brittany: What do you think the biggest misconception is about public safety diving?

[57:18] Walter: Public safety diving is not 100% successful.