The LFR Water Rescue Team took to Holmes Lake on a beautiful Wednesday afternoon to conduct training drills that can make a difference between life or death. Battalion Chief Mark Majors urges people who are fishing or skating on frozen lakes to be extremely careful, especially during this mild winter.
“Anytime you see abnormalities in the ice that can be clues that the ice is either stable or not stable,” says battalion Chief Mark Majors. “There can always be a risk for falling through.” He says they don’t get to many ice rescue calls, but he tells KLIN News they need to be prepared for the worst case scenario.
“It’s very important for us to get out on the ice and run through all the different skills so that when someone is in trouble and needs assistance we are there.” After cutting holes in the ice, Majors says team members put on insulated heavy buoyancy suits and practiced rescue exercises.
With the unseasonably warm temperatures Majors says ice conditions can quickly change. “We can have really great ice, about six inches thick, and then we get some of the weather we’re currently having today, and that can change fairly rapidly. Just because we went out on the ice today, doesn’t mean tomorrow we can do the same thing.
If you plan to be out on the ice for any activity, Majors says make sure you go with someone, have a screwdriver with you to test the thickness of ice and it’s a good idea to have a whistle in cases you have to send a signal for help.
(Photo and video Mark Vail KLIN News)