MIAMI — What looks like a perfect day on the water can change in an instant.

That’s something Captain Giancarlo Polanco and his crew with the City of Miami Fire Rescue know all too well.

From medical emergencies to boating accidents and rescues, the team aboard the city’s fire boat responds to some of the most dangerous situations on South Florida waterways — often racing through crowded channels where there are no roads, only waves.

“We’re basically a fire truck and a rescue truck on water,” Polanco said.

As Memorial Day weekend approaches and thousands of boaters prepare to head out across Biscayne Bay and nearby waterways, firefighters expect an increase in marine traffic — and with it, more emergencies.

“When it happens out here, it’s a traumatic cause or highly traumatic,” Polanco said.

Unlike emergency crews on land, marine firefighters face a unique set of obstacles when responding to calls. Navigating changing weather conditions, heavy boat traffic, and open water can slow response times and complicate rescues.

Polanco says one challenge is that many people operating boats may have little or no formal boating experience.

“Gen X and, I think, above -- basically if you have enough money, you can buy a boat,” he said. “You got to understand that even if you know what you’re doing, others may not know what they’re doing.”

Onboard the fire boat, the crew carries extensive rescue and medical equipment designed to handle emergencies far from shore. Supplies include medications for cardiac emergencies, IV fluids, oxygen masks and trauma equipment.

“We have medicine for your heart, we have medicine to speed up your heart, slow down your heart, masks, IVs for dehydration, any kind of blood loss,” Polanco explained.

Still, he says preparation by boaters themselves can make all the difference.

“The best way to give us your location when you get into an emergency is to make sure that you have a GPS,” Polanco said. “If you have a GPS, we can go directly to you.”

He also encourages boaters to check weather conditions before heading out, plan their routes ahead of time, and ensure life jackets and safety equipment are onboard and accessible.

Simple precautions, Polanco says, can help prevent a fun day on the water from turning into a dangerous situation.

As South Florida gears up for one of the busiest boating weekends of the year, Miami Fire Rescue crews say they’ll be ready and prepared to respond when help is needed most.

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