Shelby County SCUBA Team
The Shelby County SCUBA Team was first formed in the early 1970s. The team consisted of officers from the Shelby County Sheriff’s Department, Shelbyville
Fire Department, and the Shelbyville Police Department. The original team was made up of 3 members of the Shelby County Sheriff’s Department,
3 members of the Shelbyville Fire Department, and 1 member of the Shelbyville Police Department. Retirements of SCUBA team members caused some challenges in staffing the team.
After the SCUBA Team was originally formed it took on many other members and changes. Until 1998 the team consisted of a few divers from the
Shelby County Sheriff’s Department and several civilian volunteers that were certified SCUBA divers. Beginning in 1998,
the Shelby County Sheriff’s Department decided to increase the training requirements for the SCUBA Team members.
The volunteers were forced to resign from the team because of their regular employment requirements and the inability to attend regular training.
After 1998, the SCUBA Team consisted of full time members of the Shelby County Sheriff’s Department until 2004.
In 2004, Chief Todd Anderson of the Shelbyville Fire Department and Lieutenant Dave Fisher of the Shelby County Sheriff’s Department decided to once again combine resources to produce a better staffed SCUBA team.
The team is currently made up of officers from the Shelby County Sheriff’s Department, Shelbyville Fire Department, and the Shelbyville Police Department.
ironically the team membership is now made up of the same departments as it was when first founded.
Those team members are: Sheriff’s Department Lieutenant David Fisher – Dive Commander, Sheriff’s Deputy Denis Ratekin,
Sheriff’s Deputy Travis Maloney, and Sheriff’s Deputy Rod Mohr from the Shelby County Sheriff’s Department.
Lieutenant Scott Grove, Fire Fighter/Paramedic Danny Marcum, Firefighter/EMT Ken Chappelow, and
Firefighter/Paramedic Jason Mohr from the Shelbyville Fire Department.
Representation from the Shelbyville Police Department consists of Corporal Jeremiah Walton.
Much of the team’s equipment and training has changed in the last 30 + years. We now have dry suits,
Auga mask (full face), and other electronic capabilities such as underwater metal detectors and
computerized monitors. The Auga equipment allows the team to have voice communication underwater
and on the surface with other team members. The dry suits allow the team to dive into any type of
water without concern for temperature or hazardous materials. The team now trains every second Wednesday of every month regardless of weather conditions.
