In most Maine jurisdictions, the water rescue team is a subset of a larger public safety department, usually fire, but often including rescue and police personnel. Member selection is guided by the team's perceived response requirements, and by the necessarily diverse mix of skills needed to round out its capabilities. It's worth noting that you do not have to be a strong swimmer to be part of a water rescue team since, in the great majority of rescue calls, most team members never get wet. There is the recognition, however, that to be both safe and effective, all team members need to have specialized knowledge, skills and the ability to develop a good rescue plan. This is a good example of where the theoretical should precede the experiential.
Accidents always have a cause, even if it's just bad luck.
How water accidents come about is a topic worthy of study for its own sake, but for the developing water rescue team it has additional benefits. This knowledge makes the rescuers safer. They learn the pitfalls when around water and are better prepared for what to expect when the call-out comes. For example, the call may be for a person stranded on a rock midstream in cold, swift water. The urgency, strategy and tactics of rescuers will be modified depending on whether the team is told that the victim is a fly-fisherman or a kayaker.