Police and fire crews were called to a lake in Lethbridge on Friday after a 12-year-old boy fell through the ice at Legacy Regional Park.
According to police, four of his friends tied their T-shirts together, using them as a rope to drag the child from the water. He was then treated by EMS.
Police say he did not suffer any major injuries and was turned over to his family.
On Saturday, members of Lethbridge Fire and Emergency Services were on scene at the small lake, using the opportunity to brush up on water safety training.
Typically, training would take place in colder weather during the main winter months when the department could guarantee the presence of frozen water.
“It is nice for us to get out at this time of year because the ice conditions are changing,” said Mike Humphreys, a member of the water rescue team.
“It’s quite rare to actually get a person that has gone through the ice. I think a lot of people do understand the dangers of ice, especially when it’s warming.”
Humphreys said the actions of the individuals on Friday were appropriate given the circumstances, commending them for not going onto the ice as well.
“To walk out there or to go on the ice to try to affect a rescue after someone’s gone through, you’re just going to create more victims,” Humphreys said.
Four bodies of water in Lethbridge can be approved for walking or skating, including Legacy Pond, Nicholas Sheran Lake, Henderson Lake and Chinook Lake.
Officials are urging the public to stay off local ponds and lakes as recent warm weather makes for unsafe conditions.