MANCHESTER, Conn. — There has been little opportunity to train for ice rescues this Winter season across Connecticut, but the recent run of cold weather offered a short window to do so.
The fire department brought 16 of its members from Manchester to Center Springs Park Pond for some reps on the ice – just about an inch and a half thick.
“In Manchester, we have a number of bodies of water, and we’ve had a limited opportunity to experience some ice so we’re out here today making the best of it and training,” Battalion Chief Craig Webb said.
Helping to lead the training exercises atop the ice, Lt. John Medynski, an 11-year veteran of the Manchester Town Fire Department.
"This hasn’t been your typical winter and that is what makes it dangerous because it’s inconsistency in the formation of the ice," Medynski said.
The scenario that the firefighters were training for involved rescuing a child stranded in the icy waters of the pond and then saving a good Samaritan who tried to help.
“This is exactly a realistic scenario,” Battalion Chief Webb said. “It’s very dynamic, there are a lot of variables to it, so we have a playbook which defines the basics of that we are going to do and how we are going to do it."
After about 90 minutes worth of training, Lt. Medynski added, “the guys did great today, and it was great training that hopefully we will never have to use.”
Jimmy Altman is a reporter at FOX61 News. He can be reached at jaltman@fox61.com. Follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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