WATCH: Kelowna Ice rescue teams hone skills on frozen pond

KELOWNA – A partially frozen pond at the Kelowna Golf and Country Club became something of a classroom Monday.

The fire department’s ice rescue teams used it to practice their skills. In one of the scenarios, a person has fallen through thin ice.

“We’ll try to get them to self-rescue first. If that doesn’t work, we’ll try to reach them and get them to hang on to (a long pole) and we’ll pull them forward. If that doesn’t work, the guys will do a throw bag. If that doesn’t work, they’re in the water right now, they’re behind him, they’ll hook him up and we’ll pull them out,” says team member Captain Lorne Zimmermann.

The Kelowna Fire Department has four, six-member ice rescue teams which are ready to respond around the clock.

Of course, it’s best to avoid needing their services.

“Stay away from the ice, especially this time of year. If you were to venture out there, it’s a good chance you’re going to break through. So people just need to stay away,” says Zimmermann.

Fortunately, Zimmermann says ice rescues are rare events.

“We have a lot of water areas in Kelowna where it could happen, but thankfully, we don’t see it too often.”