Police practice water rescues

Eron Ben-Yehuda

Rubberneckers driving along Pacific Coast Highway got an eyeful Wednesday

morning as three helicopters practicing ocean rescues touched down at a

city parking lot near Beach Boulevard.

Starting at 10 a.m., two Huntington Beach Police Department helicopters

practiced ocean rescues by dropping lifeguards offshore for practice in

emergencies such as boating accidents, Huntington Beach Lt. Lloyd Edwards

said.

“It went without a hitch,” he said.

A county ambulance service, Air Mercy, sent one of its own helicopter

crews to brief police, fire, and lifeguards about what precautions to

take when a helicopter must land on the street, he said. The exercises

are held about twice a year.