Coast Guard moves training out of Mobile Bay after swimmers get sick
Published 6:35 am Wednesday, November 20, 2019
The U.S. Coast Guard is no longer using an Alabama bay for certain types of exercises after rescue swimmers reported falling ill during training.
News outlets report training has been moved from Mobile Bay to the Gulf of Mexico.
Capt. William Sasser with the Mobile training station told news outlets that rescue swimmers noted symptoms of “illness and irritation” after working in the bay.
He said weekly water testing showed levels of the Enterococci bacteria within acceptable ranges, but said the training was moved as a precautionary measure.
Sasser said the health of rescue swimmers has improved since the move, and added that the agency has adopted new cleaning and hygiene measures.