Dan Corio joins us for episode 70 of ABR Y’all!
Dan grew up wrestling in East Brunswick, NJ, and after years of bouncing around job to job, not having a clue what he should do. Dan wound up, taking the test for NYPD.
Dan graduated from the police academy in May of 2001 and was assigned to the 10th pct in Manhattan. Dan did mostly midnight tours and was heavily involved with the recovery operations of 9/11 down at ground zero. After doing five years on patrol, Dan wanted another challenge and tried out for the NYPD SCUBA Team.
The team is a 24/7 search, rescue, and recovery unit with an Air Sea Rescue component. The Scuba team was regularly deployed from helicopters to rescue individuals in water environments such as sinking boats, cars, planes, or helicopters. The Scuba team could also be lowered into any other setting to render medical aid for those who needed to be removed to a hospital where other units couldn’t get to them.
There was also a counter-terrorism aspect to what they did and would regularly work with the Navy EOD units to dive under heliports, bridges, ferry boats, or any other structure where a device meant to do harm could be placed. After passing the entrance exams, both physical and written Dan was accepted onto the team and went through a six month training period with them learning how to dive in the environments Dan would be confronted with and learning all of the skills mentioned above. During his time on the team, he was involved with a multitude of operations, including diving on the plane involved in the Sully incident to examine structural damage caused during the landing.
After 12 years in the Team, Dan wanted another challenge and tried out for the Emergency Service Unit (ESU), where he ended his career. After passing more physical and written exams, Dan went through another school this time eight months long, where he was taught everything from rope rescue to special weapons and tactics and more. In that unit, Dan would conduct high-risk warrant takedowns, Hazmat operations, dignitary protection operations, and other day-to-day operations supporting patrol officers in need.