This week, the Lethbridge Fire and Emergency Services Water Rescue Team practised surface ice rescue training at the large pond at Legacy Regional Park in north Lethbridge.
“We train up some new guys, as well as refreshing the skills of people who have done the course before. The idea of doing it at this time of year is really in anticipation of this being the time of year when we’re the most likely to do a rescue on the ice,” says LFES Water Rescue Team Lead Charles Schoening.
Typically, LFES responds to between three to five ice rescue incidents a year, notes Schoening. “It may involve people or pets. Pets are probably our most common ice rescue incidents.”
“To rescue one individual, we would like it to happen around that five-minute mark from when we’re getting a guy dressed and when we go out there and rescue someone off the ice. It’s going to depend highly on the condition of the ice and other incidences going on, access to the shore and those kinds of things,” adds Schoening.
Schoening says each ice rescue course highlights the message, “no ice is safe ice.”
“Even though the City of Lethbridge might say a certain body of water is safe to be on at any given time, doesn’t mean every body of water in the city is going to be safe to be on. There’s only three designated areas in the city they check, including Legacy Park, Henderson Lake and Nicholas Sheran. Those are the only ones checked frequently for ice depth and those are the areas deemed safe. There’s signs that say ‘yes’ or ‘no.’”
According to Schoening, the river is never safe to go on. “It may appear to be solid ice out there, but currents can change the ice conditions very quickly. The water levels and the currents can change day to day.”
It is also recommended not to let pets onto river ice. “When you’re walking your pets down by the river, keep them on-leash. People will go after their pets,” says Schoening.
If it does turn into a rescue and your pet won’t come off the ice, call 9-1-1. “Do not go out there and attempt to rescue them on your own. We will come and rescue your pet.”
