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Emergency workers ready for water and ice rescues
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| Staff photo by Hillary Gavan Beloit firefighter and paramedic Dave Hansen stands by his underwater rescue suit. Area fire departments are cautioning people against snowmobiling on the Rock River, even if it appears frozen because of the river’s dangerous currents. |
By Hillary Gavan
Daily News staff writer
Local fire departments want people to stay off the ice.
Last week Town of Beloit firefighters saw snowmobile tracks on the ice of the Rock River, something they consider deadly.
“It's not like going out on a lake. With the currents, conditions change day to day,” Town of Beloit Assistant Fire Chief Gene Wright said.
Last year Wright heard that a boy dared to ride his bicycle across the ice. He still has concerns that some people may try to venture out on the ice.
Just a little over a week ago on Feb. 19 the Rock County Communications Center received a call that two snowmobilers had gone through the ice on Lake Koshkonong. Fortunately both managed to pull themselves out of the water and onto the ice where they waited for rescuers. Both were off the ice at 11:30 a.m.
Emergency responders arrived to find two snowmobilers clinging to the ice approximately 100 yards from shore. Members of the Milton Fire Department Ice Rescue team were able to get close enough to the victims to throw them a rope and pull them to safety. Fortunately both were checked for injuries by Milton EMS and released.
Wright knows how dangerous it is on the Rock River during the winter. After all, Wright and other Town of Beloit firefighters crawled out on the Rock River when it flooded back in January at Happy Hollow and Christianson roads.
Because frozen chunks of ice had dammed up the river, the water began overflowing onto homes. In some areas the water was as high as 10 feet. In order to get people and pets out safely, crews headed in with boats and water rescue suits. Because of ice, Town of Beloit firefighters had to swim, crawl over ice and even hack away at it with pick axes to get to residents.
“It's not fun. Most of the water was waist to chest deep,” Wright said.
Town of Beloit firefighters dragged a small flat bottom boat along with them. On the first day they were down between three and four hours rescuing people and pets. Some of the people still haven't returned to their homes.
Although Wright doubts there will be any more flooding this year, he said it could be an ongoing issue in the winters to come. To be prepared the fire department has purchased some new radios, harnesses and other equipment for ice and water rescues.
Even though the river isn't frozen in the spring, Wright said it's just as cold. Someone who's fishing and ends up in the water can suffer from hypothermia.
In the eight years Beloit firefighter and paramedic Dave Hansen has worked, he hasn't had to rescue anyone from the ice yet. Because the Rock River has so many currents usually people don't go out on it to do sports like if it were a body of water such as Lake Koshkonong.
Beloit firefighters, however, always prepare for the possibility. With six new firefighters this year, Hansen took them down to Wootton Park to the boat launch and cut a hole in the ice. Because the firefighters wear insulated wet suits, Hansen said they stay warm.
The best thing one can do if he or she falls in the ice is to try to get out from under it until help arrives. If one cannot get out, Hansen said it's best to conserve body heat by pulling up one's knees to the chest.
The best precaution, of course, is not to fall in the water.
“That ice might look real strong, but in this case, don't consider snowmobiling,” Hansen said.
Last week Town of Beloit firefighters saw snowmobile tracks on the ice of the Rock River, something they consider deadly.
“It's not like going out on a lake. With the currents, conditions change day to day,” Town of Beloit Assistant Fire Chief Gene Wright said.
Last year Wright heard that a boy dared to ride his bicycle across the ice. He still has concerns that some people may try to venture out on the ice.
Just a little over a week ago on Feb. 19 the Rock County Communications Center received a call that two snowmobilers had gone through the ice on Lake Koshkonong. Fortunately both managed to pull themselves out of the water and onto the ice where they waited for rescuers. Both were off the ice at 11:30 a.m.
Emergency responders arrived to find two snowmobilers clinging to the ice approximately 100 yards from shore. Members of the Milton Fire Department Ice Rescue team were able to get close enough to the victims to throw them a rope and pull them to safety. Fortunately both were checked for injuries by Milton EMS and released.
Wright knows how dangerous it is on the Rock River during the winter. After all, Wright and other Town of Beloit firefighters crawled out on the Rock River when it flooded back in January at Happy Hollow and Christianson roads.
Because frozen chunks of ice had dammed up the river, the water began overflowing onto homes. In some areas the water was as high as 10 feet. In order to get people and pets out safely, crews headed in with boats and water rescue suits. Because of ice, Town of Beloit firefighters had to swim, crawl over ice and even hack away at it with pick axes to get to residents.
“It's not fun. Most of the water was waist to chest deep,” Wright said.
Town of Beloit firefighters dragged a small flat bottom boat along with them. On the first day they were down between three and four hours rescuing people and pets. Some of the people still haven't returned to their homes.
Although Wright doubts there will be any more flooding this year, he said it could be an ongoing issue in the winters to come. To be prepared the fire department has purchased some new radios, harnesses and other equipment for ice and water rescues.
Even though the river isn't frozen in the spring, Wright said it's just as cold. Someone who's fishing and ends up in the water can suffer from hypothermia.
In the eight years Beloit firefighter and paramedic Dave Hansen has worked, he hasn't had to rescue anyone from the ice yet. Because the Rock River has so many currents usually people don't go out on it to do sports like if it were a body of water such as Lake Koshkonong.
Beloit firefighters, however, always prepare for the possibility. With six new firefighters this year, Hansen took them down to Wootton Park to the boat launch and cut a hole in the ice. Because the firefighters wear insulated wet suits, Hansen said they stay warm.
The best thing one can do if he or she falls in the ice is to try to get out from under it until help arrives. If one cannot get out, Hansen said it's best to conserve body heat by pulling up one's knees to the chest.
The best precaution, of course, is not to fall in the water.
“That ice might look real strong, but in this case, don't consider snowmobiling,” Hansen said.
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