Drowning Prevention Coalition prepares for spring thaw
Posted Feb 8, 2012 05:18:30 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
OTTAWA, On – As the spring thaw fast approaches the risks increase for anyone working or playing on and around the ice. Ottawa’s Emergency Services are undergoing intensive fast water and ice rescue training to make sure they are ready to rescue you if you fall through thin ice.
Last year they responded to 49 calls for distress and the Ottawa Drowning Prevention Coalition wants to see that number reduced.
“The thaw’s going to be coming in the next four to six weeks, so they want to have their skills well practiced,” said Chris Wag of the Lifesaving Society who explained the advocacy groups and emergency services want you to have a better knowledge of the dangers of thin ice and how to stay safe and that includes riding safe snow-mobiles, wearing gear with built-in flotation devices before heading out.
On Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday Ottawa Fire, Ottawa Paramedics and Ottawa Police worked together to train for any scenario they could meet this season. The training is intensive and covers water, ice, and boats.
“Everything’s really based on the water program first, many of the techniques that we do here we also do on the water and, you know, in rivers, floods and then ice is the next step, boats is the next step so they get experience and then build experience and credibility all the way along the line,” said Jim Lavalley, managing director of Rescue Canada, the man who created the program and now brings it to services across the planet including the FBI, the Secret Service, the Indian Navy and others.
He said it is incredibly rare for all three emergency services to work together the way they do in Ottawa, something he said residents should be grateful for because it means we’ll be safer in the event of a major catastrophe.
This reporter got to suit up and slip into the Ottawa River to be rescued by firefighters working on three different rescue styles.
As soon as I slipped into the river I could feel the current grab me and I was glad I was in a wet suit and a life jacket as I tried to hang on to the ice shelf. The firefighters were incredibly quick to get in the river and get me back onto the ice, but it would have been more difficult for them had I been wearing a winter jacket, which is what most of the victims they rescue are dressed in.
They said it’s easy to plan ahead and ice safety often requires little more than common sense and the right safety gear.
The Ottawa Drowning Prevention Coalition is made up of representatives from Canadian Red Cross, Lifesaving Society, Ottawa Fire Service, Ottawa Paramedic Service, Ottawa Police Service, Ottawa Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services and Ottawa Public Health.
