Shanksville Volunteer Fire Department

At Lake Stonycreek on January 25, 2009 the Shanksville Volunteer Fire Department trained for an Ice Rescue Emergency. Personnel practiced all the necessary safety measures that need to be taken during an Ice Rescue Emergency. The rescue team in an Ice Rescue Emergency consists of a rescuer that wears a cold water wet suit and a helmet. The cold water wet suit that the rescuer wears serves as a PFD (Personal Flotation Device) that lets the rescuer float in the water, should the rescuer fall into the ice cold water. The rescuer then uses a Rescue Alive Sled and various other pieces of equipment that go along with the rescuer and the sled when the rescuer goes out onto the ice to rescue the victim/s in distress. As in every emergency, every second counts, but in an Ice Rescue Emergency because of the cold water and ice, time is very critical! The Rescue Alive Sled provides the rescuer a safe and quick way to get to the victim/s, no matter if the rescuer has to go over ice or water to get to the victim/s, or both. When the rescuer takes the sled to rescue the victim, personnel wearing PFD's (Personal Flotation Devices) will have a rope tied off on the rescuer, and a rope tied off to the sled, so if anything happens to the rescuer or the sled, neither of them become a victim of the ice and cold water. Depending how far out the victim/s are, a rescuer will attempt to throw a rope to the victim/s or reach them with something, before the rescuer is put into danger.

Hand signals that are taught for Ice Rescue is the rescuer can stand on the shore and pat the top of his head with his hand and that is a signal to the victim asking "Are you ok?". If the victim is able, they can pat the top of their head with their hand to signal back to the rescuer that they are ok. Once the rescuer has the victim secured to the Rescue Alive Sled the rescuer can then pat the top of his head to the shore crew to signal to pull the sled back in to shore by the rope that is attached to the sled.

Equipment that goes along with the rescuer is small ice picks that can be given to the victim in case they can pull themselves up over the edge of the ice to get out of the cold water or in case the rescuer becomes a victim that the rescuer can attempt to rescue their self. The rescuer can stand with one foot on each plastic pontoon of the Rescue Alive Sled so if anything happens to the ice that is holding up the sled, the rescuer will not be in any danger. If the rescuer is not standing on the pontoons, he is walking on the ice that would be in between the two plastic pontoons but then the rescuer holds onto the railing off of each pontoon so if the ice the rescuer is traveling on with the sled is compromised, the rescuer will not be in any danger. Equipment that goes out with the Rescue Alive Sled is a strap that holds the victim on the sled, a plastic oar that has a pick on one side so the rescuer can pull the sled across the ice without compromising their self at all and if the rescuer has to travel over ice and water with the sled, the rescuer may use the oar to paddle the sled through the water. There is also a metal grab claw on a long telescoping pole that can be used to grab someone that may be down under the ice or submerged in the water a little bit. The Rescue Alive Ice Rescue Sled folds up for quick and easy transportation. As in every situation with emergency services, but especially these situations, safety of everyone is strictly enforced!

If an Ice Rescue Emergency occurs, Station 627 is Ice Rescue ready!

Additional pictures and information on this traning can be found on the Dive Team page.

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