An RCMP officer being trained for ice rescue.
Officers of the RCMP and First Nation Band Constables in Northern Manitoba recently completed training for personnel that work near frozen lakes and rivers, as well as those that respond to incidents where someone has fallen through the ice.
In a partnership between the RCMP and Manitoba Hydro, ice rescue experts were contracted to attend Northern Manitoba to deliver two separate ice rescue technician courses.
These courses were held in Thompson and Island Lake. These two day courses provided training and practical experience to first responders for personal safety, self rescue, and to initiate rescue systems as it pertains to ice emergencies.
In Island Lake, the training was offered to First Nation Band Constables in the Communities of Garden Hill, Wasagamack and St. Theresa Point.
Officers were required to enter the cold water through a hole cut in the ice in order to practice classroom techniques. Equipped with dry suits, Officers spent five hours in and out of the frigid water. Some Officers entered the water without a dry suit, wearing everyday winter gear.
Overall, it was considered a very valuable training opportunity for Officers that often patrol remote areas that are surrounded by lakes and rivers, as well as winter roads that travel the frozen waterways in Northern Manitoba.
