FERGUSON, Mo. – On a cold Friday at January-Wabash Park in Ferguson, firefighters practiced for a real-life frigid water rescue.
“We’re out here trying to take advantage of the cold weather to get in some ice rescue training,” Jeremy Corcoran, Assistant Chief Ferguson Fire Department, said. “Ice rescue is one of those things we consider low-frequency, high-risk. That means we don’t have a lot of chance to practice.”
Crews on the shore pulled the “victim and rescuer” to the lake’s edge.
“They’re wearing their buoyant Mustang ice suits, which do a remarkable job of keeping them buoyant and insulated,” Corcoran added.
Friday is the second day of ice rescue training for the Ferguson Fire Department. It began at the firehouse at 200 South Florissant Rd. before diving into the on-ice drills on the lake.
“One of the things is we’d just caution people; it’s been really cold,” Corcoran said. “The ice is thick. So, it’s easy to assume it’s super safe…But the issue is it won’t be on a body of water. So, you might be on five inches of ice and be totally supported and then get to a spot where it is not. Just stay off the ice.”