2 Injured During Urban Shield Exercise

Two firefighters sustained minor injuries during an Urban Shield water rescue exercise on the San Francisco Bay on Friday afternoon, according to fire officials.

Firefighters from multiple agencies were practicing a simulated water rescue with a Sacramento Metropolitan Fire Protection District helicopter when the two firefighters were injured.

At about 4:40 p.m., two firefighters were pulled from their rescue boat during a rescue hoist exercise. An Oakland firefighter and a Sacramento firefighter were recovered by other firefighters and transported to Highland Hospital with minor injuries, fire officials said.

The portions of the Urban Shield water rescue exercises using a helicopter were canceled pending an investigation into the incident.

Urban Shield is hosted by the Alameda County Sheriff's Office and invites first-responders from throughout the U.S. to the Bay Area for a two-day training experience.

The event helps prepare law enforcement for emergencies and other mass causality incidents, such as the bombings at the Boston Marathon earlier this year, according to the sheriff's office.

There will be 54 training "scenarios" starting Saturday taking place in Dublin, Livermore, Castro Valley, San Leandro, Oakland, Alameda, Newark, Fremont, Menlo Park, Foster City, San Francisco, South San Francisco, San Bruno, and Richmond.

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