Sylvania Twp fire dept. on high alert for ice accidents
During the winter months, skating, ice hockey and fishing are extremely popular. But having so many people on the ice puts rescue crews on high alert. One local fire department is training for disaster.
Ice accidents can happen in a matter of seconds. The chances of survival rests in the hands of rescue crews. Monday, the Sylvania Township Fire Department took part in live drills to prepare for an ice rescue. Every winter there are incidents where someone gets stranded or falls through the ice.
Nearly one year ago, three boys in Fremont drowned in the Sandusky River while playing on thin ice. Fire crews train to avoid tragedy, but water is unpredictable.
Fred Riggs of the Sylvania Twp Fire Department says, "Any aquatic rescue is very dynamic. It changes and there is no way to predict how it's going to go." The same goes for anyone out on the ice. "A lot of people think the ice is safe, but again it's dynamic. You could have one person ice skating on this end and someone dying down here in the water. There are lots of variables, such as things under the surface, water flowing causing weak ice," says Riggs.
If you do plan on enjoying winter activities make sure you go with a friend, take weather patterns into account and remember "there's no such thing as safe ice. I mean, there is none," says Riggs. Read More ...
0 comments:
Post a Comment