Firefighters from the North and South Glengarry Fire Services were out practising water and ice rescues last week, while there was still some ice on water surfaces.
Firefighters wear a cold-water rescue suit, designed to provide buoyancy to keep the firefighter afloat, retain body heat and protect against hypothermia. Clearly these suits work well, as not one of the firefighters from North Glengarry appeared cold as they jumped in and out of the water during the chilly rescue manoeuvres.
Both departments have an extensive list of equipment – South Glengarry Fire Services has 10 Mustang Ice/Water Rescue suits and two Rapid Deployment Crafts (RDC). The RDC is an inflatable boat that has upturned ends with an open floor at each end to permit the boat to go over a victim, while allowing the victim to always keep their head above water. The height of the floor in an RDC is only a couple of inches, so the firefighter can easily pull a victim onto the boat, despite the weight of wet clothing. North Glengarry Fire Services has one RDC for its water rescue along with 10 Ice/Water Rescue suits.
They also have Personal Flotation Devices (PFD), designed specifically for water rescue with a quick-release belt, built-in safety lanyard and enhanced buoyancy, along with features for towing and assisting others in the water. The services have several 75-foot throw bags and 300-foot rescue rope tether bags, as well as a rescue sling. The water throw bag contains rope that can easily be pulled out of the bag by someone in need of water rescue. The rescue tether bag contains a buoyant rope with a hookup to attach to a Rescue Tether Sling. The rescue sling is a flotation device is used for ice or cold-water rescue that assists the victim even if the rescuer is at a distance and maintains a connection by the buoyant rope.
In South Glengarry, the equipment is shared between three Rescue Apparatus, at Station 1 in Glen Walter, Station 2 in Martintown and Station 4 in Lancaster. However, all five stations in South Glengarry have additional Rescue Throw Bags and PFDs, with firefighters trained in shore-based support water rescue operations.
South Glengarry is training a team that will be certified to perform all aspects of water rescue, enabling it to work with firefighters from neighbouring municipalities. According to Jason Vaughan, Deputy Chief/Training Officer, “This will enable South Glengarry Fire to provide a more robust and effective response plan for all types of incidents on our waterways.”
The Glengarry firefighters are trained and prepared to respond to ice and water emergencies, even if they have to save animals. However, firefighters everywhere remind people to be safe and diligent around water at all times of the year and to keep animals on a leash for safety.
