It was not exactly a dark and stormy night but Centre Wellington firefighters quickly discovered … it was a rather chilling one.
Training night on Jan. 21 consisted of ice rescue from the Grand River between the old mill condos and Confederation Park by Gartshore/Scotland Street.
Local firefighters braved not only frigid winter weather above the ice, but icy waters as well – all to learn how to save lives.
Wellington County Fire Training Officer Jonathan Karn said “there is quite a bit initially involved in the training because it is considered a technical rescue skill – which not all fire departments do.”
He explained this type of rescue “is over and above what normal firefighting would entail.”
Karn said certification is ice rescue requires several hours of training with very specific standards which must be followed.
There are skills firefighters must learn, he said.
“Beyond that, there is annual skills training. It’s what we do every year.”
He noted Centre Wellington Fire & Rescue has in-house instructors who continue upgrading their skills through the Ontario Fire College.
“They bring back what they’ve learned and been updated on, back to our firefighters,” Karn said.
He said that typically both the Fergus and Elora fire stations take part in a few nights’ training.
“It is about four to six hours of training every year to stay current on their training.”
Karn noted there is a lot of specialized equipment involved with this type of training.
“It is one reason why some departments don’t get into it.”
There is a significant amount of equipment which needs to be purchased – such as dry suits, special rescue style lifejackets, ropes … which you obviously just can’t buy at the local (hardware store).”
Karn added “In Centre Wellington, there are a number of areas where the need is there – ice or swift water rescue.”
He noted the department’s rope rescue program trains at the Elora Gorge in the summer.
“We’ve actually had calls where we’ve had to go out onto the ice to rescue people.”
Karn said there have been incidents on Belwood Lake, plus Centre Wellington firefighters have used their skills to assist other fire departments in the area through the mutual aid program of local departments.
Those departments may not have the training or equipment for ice rescue.
“That’s where we are kind of unique in Centre Wellington. Unfortunately, we do get the calls.”
To residents Karn said “it may seem odd to see firefighters cutting holes in the river to “play” but the calls come in at the beginning and at the end of winter when the ice is thin. And that is when people are potentially falling through.”
He noted the training is not just used in the winter months but in the summer as well.
He pointed to the 2013 recovery of body of 15-year-old Bryce Hogg following his disappearance while tubing in the Elora Gorge on the evening of July 10.
“There are a tremendous amout of tuber who now go through the gorge so a lot of times it is a combination of a water rescue and a rope rescue,” Karn clarified.
He added a lot of equipment the department now has, can be used for both types of rescue.
The dry suit shell has an inner fleece-like liner which can be removed for use in warmer weather.
“It’s nice to have equipment which can do both, rather than buying equipment for the winter and the summer months.”
Karn added “the guys really enjoy the training and the deparment has the right equipment.”
He noted training is somewhat longer for the new recruits because there is quite a bit of theory taught before firefighters enter the water such as the effects of hypothermia and how to treat patients.
“Dealing with someone in the water is a lot different than a medical call,” Karn said.
