Braving the Ice
Kent Luetzen
Kent Luetzen
Lake County Search and Rescue and Polson Rural Fire departments train for ice rescues Saturday on Jette Lake.
Kent Luetzen
Firefighter Captain Drew Hoel, right, leads collaborative training between Polson Rural Fire and Lake County Search and Rescue teams.
Kent Luetzen
Kent Luetzen/ValleyJournal Ice on Jette Lake provided the right conditions to practice rescuing “victims.”
Kent Luetzen
A boat provides a resting place and observation site.
Kent Luetzen
Kent Luetzen
Kent Luetzen
Kent Luetzen
Kent Luetzen
Kent Luetzen
Kent Luetzen
Kent Luetzen
Kent Luetzen
Kent Luetzen
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Polson Rural Firefighters and Lake County Search and Rescue united on the morning of Saturday, Feb. 20, to practice their ice rescue skills. Firefighter Captain Drew Hoel explained the importance that these drills play, especially during certain months where thin ice is abundant.
“We have a lot of water that we cover in our District, including Jette Lake, Swan Lake … that’s not even taking into consideration how large Flathead Lake is,” Hoel said. “This training is not required but it is highly recommended since we do live in an area that is surrounded by water.”
It was volunteer firefighter Shondra Thorsted’s first time getting into the cold water for ice rescue training and she was not shy about how she felt before the experience.
“I am nervous and am curious how cold I am going to get,” Thorsted said. “It is worth it though since I will be learning how to go out on ice and save people.”
Thorsted put on the $700 wetsuit, which helps keep the body buoyant and warm, and connected herself to the safety ropes. Using ice picks, she shimmied out to the other firefighters and started her hands-on training. Thorsted played all the roles of a rescuer. She also played the victim to experience what it felt like to be in “panic mode” and fighting for her life. After she got out and warmed up, Thorsted felt confident in her training.
“It felt really good and was actually a lot of fun,” Thorsted said.
Firefighters also have an in-the-classroom part of their training that includes videos and examples of ice rescues that they need before getting their certification. Hoel mentioned that both parts of the training are important, but one is more rewarding than the other.
“The classroom is all fine and dandy, but by getting out here and learning by hands on teaching … that is where they are going to learn the most,” Hoel said. “They need to be prepared for all different scenarios that happen in real life.”
The Polson Fire Department gets about one or two calls a year that involve ice rescue, according to Hoel. However, it is not always humans that need to be saved.
“We rescue dogs or pets a majority of the time,” Hoel said. “Although it can lead to situations where the pet owner attempts to go out on the ice to save their pet and gets themselves into trouble.”
Hoel explained the process for people to follow if they have fallen through thin ice.
“First you should hold still and try not to panic. Then you should try and get as much of your body on top of the ice and use your elbows to crawl while yelling for help,” Hoel said. “When rescuers get there … make sure you give them all the information; for example, if you are alone or how long you have been in the water. Then you have to let the rescuers do their job … and again, try not to panic.”
With the weather warming up, Hoel warns people to take precaution around ice and open water.
“With this up and down weather, people might think the ice is still safe because it ‘feels’ cold out,” Hoel said. “People just need to be aware and stay off the ice if they are not confident in how thick it is.”
