PCES practices ice rescue techniques

PCES members practicing ice rescue techniques
Pat Neumann photo

Chris Davis

Seven members of Pincher Creek Emergency Services (PCES) participated in an ice rescue training exercise on Saturday, February 22 at the Pincher Creek airport tanker base.  "They have water retention ponds out there that we use," explained PCES Deputy Chief Pat Neumann.  "We have a victim, and we simulate a rescue through basic broken ice."

Jeremy Nelson photo

A couple of different rescue methods were used, one using a single sling and the other using a rescue sled.   "We can secure our patient then actually load him right on the sled," Neumann said, demonstrating the device.

"Basically the idea of ice rescue is that if we have people who get trapped in the ice, with the lakes and the dam that we have around here, that we have some way, and some provision to do something for them."

Rescued! Orange suits are new, red suits are older models
Pat Neumann photo

PCES has acquired 4 new C4 rescue suits worth approximately $1,000.00 each, to replace suits that have been in service for about 15 years.  The brigade fund-raised for the money to buy them.  "These are totally dry," said Neumann.  "When you are inside this thing, no water gets into you. You can climb in wearing your standard street clothes, jump into the water, and play in it all day, and stay toasty warm."

The suits have an insulated neoprene lining with a tough sealed nylon outer shell, and are sealed using divers zippers designed for water.  "It actually encapsulates in and around your head, no water gets in.   The gloves are attached."

Jeremy Nelson dressed in older syle of suit
Photo courtesy Jeremy Nelson

PCES member Jeremy Nelson coordinated the exercise.   "He has some of his technicians training, we used him as our safety and training officer on today's exercise," explained Neumann.  Nelson helped demonstrate the new suits.  "The biggest advantage to these things is that once you're inside they are complete, boots and everything are right on them," said Nelson.  "They are a lot better than the old ones we had."

"I enjoy it (water rescue), it's fun.  It is probably the most fun course I ever took."

"This ice rescue equipment has not been used often, but has been used, probably once every 3 years," said Neumann.

"If you had a vehicle go through the ice, we rescued a dog a few years ago, we have used them in early spring during heavy run-offs. They have built in flotation, those suits.  You don't need to wear a life jacket with them, everything is there."

Rescue sled in action
Pat Neumann photo

PCES has had the sled equipment for about two years. "This is the first time we've really taken it out and played with it, to get comfortable with it," said Nelson.

"The people that did do the ice rescue training like myself and a few others used a sled during that training, an older version of this.  This is the newer one, it has a 4 - 1 haul system on it.  So you can actually winch a person out of the water onto the sled."

"The weight capacity is safely 240 pounds."

Ice rescue crew
Pat Neumann photo