Montgomery County Firefighters Practice Icy Pond Rescue Operations in Potomac (PHOTOS)
At a frozen pond in Potomac, Montgomery County firefighters practice icy rescues.
It’s difficult work on an extremely cold afternoon but the experience is necessary.
They have seen this dangerous scenario play out in real life during the winter months in Montgomery County.
At this time of the year when everything appears to be frozen, Captain Joe Bell said kids, adults and even animals may end up on the ice and fall through.
A child died last year in Gaithersburg after he fell through the ice at a sediment pond near his home.
During the practice rescue operation in Potomac on Jan. 9, Lt. Pat Mitchell volunteers to play the victim.
As he steps across the icy pond, he is wearing a dry suit with a liner and he has a sweatshirt under that.
In an interview after his plunge below the surface, he says the water is “cold.” But a victim who falls through without the kind of protection he is wearing will “be even colder.”
Mitchell said you lose dexterity and can’t move well in the cold water and, often, you become confused.
Their message, firefighters say, is that no icy pond is safe.
“All ice is unpredictable,” said Bell. “Please stay off the ice.”
“Stay off the ice,” Mitchell reiterated. “This stuff will kill you.”
If you are with someone who falls thru the ice, firefighters say the most important thing to do is to call 9-1-1.
“Let us come and help that person out,” said Bell.
Stay Off the ICE……No Ice is Safe http://t.co/OBwoEYw4RE #mcfrs Rescuers WARN everyone to Stay Off! It’s DANGEROUS pic.twitter.com/YoLevlRjmu
— Pete Piringer (@mcfrsPIO) January 9, 2015
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Montgomery County Firefighters Practice Icy Pond Rescue Operations in Potomac (PHOTOS)
At a frozen pond in Potomac, Montgomery County firefighters practice icy rescues. It’s difficult work on an extremely cold afternoon but the experience is necessary. They have seen this dangerous scenario play out in real life during the winter months in Montgomery County. At this time of the year when everything appears to be frozen, […]
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