The Okotoks Fire Department was out practicing their Ice Rescue Procedures at the Westmount Pond.

They worked in pairs going across the ice with their equipment and saving someone and than coming back to shore.

The department got some new equipment for the procedures this year and Captain Dave Hodgins says the gear will help with their first response.

"We got a new inflatable banana boat that allows two or three guys to do a quick response, and we upgraded our ropes so that the shore support can have allot faster set up and be more organized to get the guys in." Hodgins says.

The fall and spring months are when the department gets most of the calls for ice rescues.

"We will go anywhere between four to eight times a year, mostly in the early winter and end of the winter, when we have that open ice or thin ice." Hodgins says.

Along with the Fire Department members of the EMS came to the training to understand what their roles in a Ice Rescue situation would be.

Paramedic Christie Nicholson says that they are there to work as a team with the fire department.

"We are also here to support the fire fighters incase one of their guys go under," Says Nicholson.

 

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