The Gannets: Proud moment for Kerala as country’s first all-women scuba diving team ready for action

A historic moment for Kerala's Fire and Rescue Services as the country's first all-women scuba diving team is set to begin its operations from Tuesday. Seventeen women firefighters, selected from the ranks of Kerala Fire and Rescue Services, have completed rigorous training to dive to depths of up to 30 metres.

The training was conducted by the Kerala Fire and Rescue Academy, which provided specialised, international-level training. The women were trained in both basic and advanced open-water diving, with skills developed for diving at depths ranging from 25 to 30 metres. The trainees also learned various search and rescue techniques, with extensive instruction in swimming pools, quarries, and rivers. The training programme lasted 21 days, with the women also trained to operate in conditions that simulate real-life rescue situations in water.

The women are now capable of performing dives in both fresh and saltwater environments, and their services will soon be available alongside their male counterparts, providing equal capabilities in rescue missions across the state.

The team, which was named "Gannets" after a type of seabird known for its remarkable diving abilities, underwent intensive drills that prepared them to work alongside male divers during high-risk water rescue operations.

The launch ceremony for the women divers will be held on Tuesday at the Fire and Rescue Services Academy in Thrissur, with Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan presiding over the event. The team members will also be presented with diving badges as a mark of their achievement.

With this groundbreaking initiative, Kerala has taken a significant step in empowering women in the field of emergency rescue and water-based operations, making it a model for gender inclusion in public safety services.