Skip to main content

North Bay crews train for emergency rescues on ice and cold water

Share

Members of North Bay's fire service are on Trout Lake all week practising ice and cold water rescues.

Fire chief Jason Whiteley said his team hasn't had to rescue anyone yet this winter, but there have been a few close calls.

The training on Trout Lake is part of a new certification that firefighters will need to have. Whiteley said the week hasn't been easy.

"The test consists of a 200-metre swim and it's timed,” Whiteley said.

“Then, they have to do a 50-metre swim rescuing somebody then we finish it off with a 15-minute treading water test. We've done all kinds of different scenarios – self-rescuing, we have gotten into how the current and flows ... Because we are wearing flotation devices, the way the person floats on the water will be much different than that person who's under water."

The Ontario Fire Marshall is in charge of this week’s training. 

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

Here's why provinces aren't following Saskatchewan's lead on the carbon tax home heating fight

After Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the federal government would still send Canada Carbon Rebate cheques to Saskatchewan residents, despite Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe's decision to stop collecting the carbon tax on natural gas or home heating, questions were raised about whether other provinces would follow suit. CTV News reached out across the country and here's what we found out.

Stay Connected