Ice rescues are rare in the Okanagan, but when someone does fall through the ice the situation is life or death.
To retain their skills, members of the Kelowna Fire Department perform specialized ice rescue training annually. According to fire crews, there are only a few ice rescues throughout the Okanagan every year, but the proper training is critical for saving lives.
“Being able to get the training helps us do our job, hopefully keeps our people safe and we’re hopefully able to help the public if they get into trouble,” says Kelowna Fire Captain Ron Golling.
Crews in the south Okanagan were called into action just last month to rescue a 16-year-old boy who fell through the ice in Oliver. Rescuers’ skills and training were credited with saving the teenager’s life.
“If you’re going out on any ice other than a backyard skating rink or municipal skating rink you have to consider that it’s going to be hazardous,” says Golling. “It’s often pretty tough to tell what’s safe. You have to always think of the worst case scenario when you’re out there.”
Officials say if you see someone fall through the ice, call 911 right away. Crews also caution against trying to rescue the person yourself, because if you venture out onto an unsafe ice surface without the proper training, you can easily turn into another victim in need of rescue.
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