Members of the Southwick Fire Department went out in the water to be a part of the mock rescue. (Photo by Greg Fitzpatrick)
SOUTHWICK – Although there was no ice, members of the Southwick Fire Department held an ice rescue training on Congamond Lake on Monday night.
Southwick Fire Chief Russ Anderson reached out to Dan Meloche, a native of Central Massachusetts who teaches technical rescue classes and trainings, to run the training.
Ice or not, this training is something that the Southwick Fire Department does every year.
“This is just part of their pre-planning,” said Meloche. “They know what they have to do”
Not every firefighter or EMT in the department has experience doing any of the training in the water. Meloche started off the training by having a couple individuals who have never done it before do a mock situation.
Each person wore a cold water immersion suit that is made of neoprene. These 18 pound suits protect the individual from the cold water and are also buoyant keeping the individual afloat.
Technical rescue instructor Dan Meloche is demonstrating to members of the Southwick Fire Department about how to execute a rescue using the sled. (Photo by Greg Fitzpatrick)
The first encounter on the South end of Congamond Lake featured four members of the fire department. Two were on the boat raft and served as the helpers, and then there was a rescuer in the water as well as a victim floating from a distance away.
Firefighter and EMT Chris Garvey was able to play the role of the victim and get a good sense of being in the cold temperatures in the water.
“The suits do a good job of keeping us warm,” said Garvey.
Meloche and the fire department also worked on rescues with the “Ice Rescue Sled”. Despite the fact that there was no ice on Congamond Lake, Meloche said that the sled is significant because it is designed to walk over thin ice.
Firefighters and EMT’s who have par4ticipated in the past know the importance of the training for those who haven’t experienced it. The more frequently the rescuers can train the more comfortable they will be should a rescue situation arise.
“We’re focusing more on them,” said firefighter Eric Brogan, who is also the Training Coordinator for the Southwick Fire Department.
Originally, the department was scheduled to do the ice rescue training about two weeks ago, but due to the large amount of snow, they deemed that it would be best to reschedule for the coming weeks.
