Pittsburgh River Rescue Boat House

Pittsburgh sits at the confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers, forming the Ohio River.  With so much water surrounding the City, it is important to have a unit dedicated to not only water rescue, but also enforcement of boating and fishing regulations. Pittsburgh's answer to this unique need is its River Rescue Unit.

Go behind-the-scenes of Pittsburgh River Rescue at their boat house on the Allegheny River, where this specialized unit combines Emergency Medical Services, SCUBA Search & Rescue, and River Patrol into a single unit to protect and serve.

Tour highlights will include the history of the River Rescue Unit, insight into the specialized training required of unit members, and a look at some of the equipment they use.

TOUR HOST BIO:

The River Rescue Unit was formed in March of 1986 by combining the efforts of the Bureau of Emergency Medical Services' SCUBA Search & Rescue Team with those of the Bureau of Police River Patrol.

The Paramedics who staff the River Rescue Units are certified as Public Safety Divers and are responsible for surface and subsurface water rescue, They also administer ALS emergency medical care to victims until they are transferred to the care of a land-based Medic Unit for additional treatment and transport.

The Police Officers assigned to River Rescue are responsible for piloting the various water rescue craft as well as for enforcing the regulations of the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Code.

The primary mission of the River Rescue Unit is to prevent and to respond to waterborne emergencies in the waterways in and around the City of Pittsburgh.

The Unit is also an integral part of the waterways community by providing assistance to the largest number of registered recreational boats in Pennsylvania and providing port security for the second-largest inland port in the United States. Partnering with federal, state and other agencies, River Rescue remains dedicated to incident prevention as well as emergency response.

TOUR STARTS/ENDS: North Shore River Walk, 115 Federal Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15212

• There are parts of this tour that are not wheelchair-accessible.

• Photography is allowed

• Guests will be required to wear a PFD (Personal Flotation Device) which will be provided by River Rescue personnel.

NOTICE: Dates and times are subject to change under emergency circumstances beyond the control of DOORS OPEN Pittsburgh and the Pittsburgh River Rescue Unit. In the event of cancellation, ticket holders will be notified at the earliest opportunity and tour times affected will be rescheduled.

DOORS OPEN Pittsburgh follows CDC guidelines for the safety of our ticket holders; in addition, we do require a mask for entry to any building that requires a mask be worn--regardless of vaccination status.