Search
Close Modal

Helping those in need out of slippery situations

Published: February 17, 2020

Cold Lake Fire Rescue to purchase new ice rescue bodysuits and equipment

Winter or not, it’s called Cold Lake for a reason.

And with the purchase of new Ice Commander Rescue Suits, Cold Lake Fire-Rescue will be better prepared to respond to water and ice emergency situations in the northeastern Alberta community.

“On average, we respond to eight to 10 calls a year involving water and ice rescues. The lake itself is very large and we also respond to incidents at rivers and sloughs in the surrounding area,” explains Fire Chief Jeff Fallow.

Cold Lake Fire-Rescue’s mission is to make the City of Cold Lake and surrounding area a safer place to live and work. The department serves 2,500 square kilometers of land in Alberta and Saskatchewan around the city, the Municipal District of Bonnyville and Cold Lake First Nations.

“The lake usually freezes up around December and breaks up in April. There are always people who think the ice is thicker than it is and test the limits,” Fallow says.

The department responds to rescues including people and vehicles stranded on the ice, boaters in the water and recovery of vehicles in water near roadways after motor vehicle collisions.

The suits have insulation and flotation features which allow responders to immerse themselves for long periods of time in icy cold water while maintaining their mental and physical capabilities.

“One interesting rescue we used the equipment for was when a horse had fallen in a slough. In 30 years, we hadn’t responded to a situation like that, so it was unique for us and we were happy to be able to save the horse,” says Fallow.

Cold Lake Fire-Rescue is made up of four paid employees and approximately 70 volunteers, with a much lower rate of turnover than many fire departments.

“We have parents and their adult children, husbands and wives, and many second-generation members at our department. We’ve actually had a waitlist to get into our service for over a decade now,” explains Fallow.

Safety is the very foundation of our business at Enbridge, and we offer Safe Community grants to first response organizations near our operations for equipment, training or education. A recent $7,500 Safe Community grant will allow Cold Lake Fire-Rescue to purchase several Ice Commander Rescue Suits, as well as additional ice rescue equipment.

“Enbridge has been very giving in the past. We’ve received support for thermal imaging cameras, boots for our department and an inflatable boat we use for rescues on the lake,” Fallow says.

“We're very appreciative of Enbridge for all the things they’ve provided us over the years,” he adds.

(TOP PHOTO: Cold Lake Fire Rescue volunteers take part in a winter training session inside the breakwater at the Cold Lake Marina in Cold Lake, AB.)

You may also like