On Thursday, 21 fire and police agencies will be conducting training exercises involving water rescues in the Puget Sound at Sunnyside Beach Park in Steilacoom.

The goal of the exercise is to evaluate both individual agency capabilities and their ability to effectively communicate and work together.

These exercises will focus on dive rescue and surface water rescue efforts and is being conducted for training purposes, as well as building interagency partnerships. Marine units will train using different vessels simultaneously during the water scenarios. There will also be an evacuation of a Pierce County ferry.

Participating agencies include Anderson Island Fire Department, Browns Point/Dash Point Fire Department, Central Pierce Fire & Rescue, East Pierce Fire & Rescue, Gig Harbor Fire & Medic One, Gig Harbor Police Department, Graham Fire & Rescue, Key Peninsula Fire Department, Lakewood Police Department, Orting Valley Fire & Rescue, Pierce County Emergency Management, Pierce County Incident Management Team, Pierce County Regional Air Support, Pierce County Sheriff’s Department, Port of Tacoma, South King Fire & Rescue, Steilacoom Police Department, Tacoma Fire Department, Tacoma Police Department, United States Coast Guard, and West Pierce Fire & Rescue.