As the summer heats up and more people head to the Truckee River to relax, Barry Hagen knows he has work to do.

Hagen, who has been a member of the Sparks Fire Department for 18 years, is captain of a special water rescue unit: the Water Entry Team or WET. On Tuesday, Hagen and five other team members practiced performing critical water rescue situations — a necessity as the summer heat brings more people outdoors.

"This (team) was something that was needed in the area," Hagen said. "And we practice all year long for it."

WET, which was created in response to the New Year's flood in 1997, assists in various water situations including assistance during the flood in Fernley earlier this year, Hagen said.

There are three other similar teams, all responding to swift water rescues like those from the Truckee River as well as static water rescues like those that happen at the Sparks Marina.

Averaging five rescue calls annually, the unit does outdoor training 10 times a year, practicing anything from paddling and kayaking to rope procedures for towing victims to shore.

It is this preparation, usually in water temperatures ranging between 45 and 50 F, that WET team member Manny Souza feels is just in time for the season, particularly with the kayak park in downtown Reno drawing big crowds.

"It's this time of year that more people come down to the river and start barbecueing and drinking," Souza said. "The next thing you know, they're down the river."

Once in the river, victims often panic and rescue response time is critical as hypothermia sets in quickly, Hagen said.

To respond to such situations where the victim is panicing and often working against the rescuer, the unit is trained in combat swims to prevent the victim from bringing both of them down.

"We have the same philosphy as fire fighters," Hagen said. "Our number one priority is to prevent situations where we (the rescuer and the victim) both become victims."

Another common situation the unit prepares for is "strainers" along the shore of rivers. Strainers include any tree branches, garbage or rebar that has accumulated near the edges of the river, potentially forming a trap for people floating by.

"Strainers are a big hazard in the Truckee River," Hagen said. "We've found stuff as big as shopping carts in there."

WET members are expected to complete annual tests, including swimming endurance, holding of breath under water and paddling ability upstream, Hagen said.

While rigorous and dangerous, the WET team members train dilligently, demonstrating courage that many would find inspiring, Sparks Police Department senior chaplain Ray Murray said. Murray attends most of their training sessions and said he sees what many people will never get to see.

"Most people don't know what awesome people are out there protecting them," Murray said. "These people want to help and they train hard just so they can."