|
|
|
Search and Rescue trains for winter ice and
water rescues |
|
February 10, 2015 |
by Michael Meier
Boundary County Public Information Officer
With spring around the corner, ice on the lakes
and rivers is a potential hazard. We all
remember the recent local story of the trapped
elk and subsequent rescue.
Local members of Boundary Search and Dive Rescue
Team recently participated in training to renew
and update their skills. Danny Rawson, Vice
President of the Boundary County Team along with
Jimmy and Leah Driver, Jed Clark and David
Wilson participated in a winter survival
training course with Priest Lake Search and
Rescue. Instructed by Air Force Survival
Instructors from Fairchild Air Force Base, the
training included not only camping in the winter
weather over the weekend, but also practicing
signaling and helicopter vectoring. These skills
can be used when it is necessary to direct a
helicopter in during a rescue. The training
provided an opportunity to build shelters and
signaling fires.
Having the experience of the Survival
Instructors was very beneficial to the different
members of search and rescue teams that
participated. The Instructors covered priorities
in the field. They talked about what the effects
of being lost can have on a person, how to cope
with depression, medical needs and treatment,
what effects of water and food depravation are,
sanitary practices, cold exposure and staying
warm and dry. A portion of the training was
dedicated to helicopter rescue training where
they learned how to retrieve and set up a stokes
basket lowered from a helicopter, position and
secure a victim in the basket, control the tag
line, safety for the team members and the
victim, all terrain issues and hand signals to
the aircraft. It is always better to train prior
to responding to an incident, and another reason
why this training with Priest Lake Search and
Rescue and all the experience of the Air Force
Survival Instructors was so appreciated.
This past weekend two other members of Boundary
Search and Dive Rescue Team attended the Idaho
State Search and Rescue Conference in Lewiston
where they took part in an Ice Rescue
certification course held at Winchester Lake.
The 12 hour training course had members David
Kramer and Evan Phillips play the role of both
Rescuer and victim along with other members from
Search groups from around the State. A hole was
cut in the ice and participants trained on
proper scene and victim evaluation and the
safest methods to save a person that has fallen
through the ice and bring them to safety.
On February 7 two fishermen fell through the ice
and died of exposure at the very same location
on Winchester Lake showing the importance of
this training.
In Boundary County we are very fortunate that
several first responders have this training and
continue to practice their ice rescue skills.
Both Hall Mountain Fire and South Boundary Fire
Districts have dedicated ice rescue equipment,
and continue to train their members along with
making the training available to other Fire
Department personnel and EMTs. A quick and
appropriate response can help save the life of
someone that falls through the ice and protect
the rescuer from also becoming a victim.
The men and women that volunteer to serve
Boundary County on the Search and Dive Rescue
Team train throughout the year to improve their
skills and knowledge and to make the team better
prepared when called upon.
With the cold water that is found in all of our
lakes and rivers it does not take long for our
body's motor functions to stop, making it
difficult to rescue yourself should you break
through the ice. Just the thickness of the ice
is not always a good indicator as to how safe
the ice is. Several other factors contribute to
the strength of the ice, including springs,
currents, and warming and freezing events. If
you are on questionable ice, it is recommended
that you have a life jacket on to help keep you
from going below the ice if you break through.
Search and Rescue Diver Dave Kramer has had to
dive below the ice on two different occasions to
recover snowmobiles. The riders safely made
shore before the machines sunk through the ice.
According to Kramer, once you go below the ice
if you did not have a safety line attached to
you it would be very difficult to find the hole
again. Just this last December two snowmobilers
died and a 3rd person was hospitalized after
their snowmobiles fell through the ice on Seeley
Lake in Montana, and in January four Baltimore
children were hospitalized after falling through
the ice on a frozen pond.
Thank you to our local Search and Rescue members
who have taken the time to learn the skills
needed for ice rescues.
Please be careful around any frozen water or
surface. |
|
|
|
Questions or comments about this
article?
Click here to e-mail! |
|
|
|
|
