Brock Brungard, a firefighter and certified diver with Citizens Hose, shared his excitement and personal connection to achieving this milestone.

“It means a lot to me to become a certified diver — it’s been a goal of mine since I was a kid,” Brungard said. My dad always told me stories about his diving experiences, and it sparked my interest to the point where I decided to pursue it. The class was a lot of fun, especially since I got to take it alongside my brother, who’s the captain at Dunnstown Fire Company, and many of my friends from across the county.”

Brungard added that the training experience was largely smooth, with the main challenge being memorizing the proper procedures to ensure safety while diving.

Looking ahead, the departments are working toward forming a county-wide dive task force to respond to major water-related emergencies. Once Citizens Hose’s final member completes his open water dives, the department’s dive team will have approximately 15 certified divers.

ASHTON PETERS/FOR THE EXPRESS Citizens Hose Firefighters Brady Wolfrom, Bronson Brungard are pictured.

“This certification doesn’t just allow me to dive for our fire company,” Brungard noted. “I’m now certified to dive anywhere in the world and explore the underwater side of the world. I’m proud to have reached this goal, and I can’t wait to see where it takes me.”

The expansion of diving certifications among Clinton County fire departments marks a major step forward in local water rescue readiness, bolstering the region’s ability to respond to emergencies both within the community and beyond. With divers trained for complex scenarios — from swift-water flooding to recovery operations — the county is building a strong network of skilled personnel across multiple departments.

“The plan to establish a County Dive Task Force, backed by the growing number of certifications — including an eventual 15 divers at Citizens Hose alone — will significantly enhance water rescue capabilities and public safety county‒wide,” said Ashton Peters, owner of Flash & Sirens of Clinton County.

ASHTON PETERS/FOR THE EXPRESS Citizens Hose firefighters Ryan Coder and Brock Brungard are pictured.