Beechwood Fire Department Rescue

Cold Water/Ice Rescue Drill

On Saturday Feb 18 members from Beechwood and Cascade Volunteer Fire Departments participated in a cold water/ice rescue drill on Beechwood Lake. This is the 2nd drill Beechwood held this season. The ice conditions this season were very challenging due to the unusually warm daytime temperatures. Ice depths ranged from 12 inches to 1 inch in a distance of about 15ft. Rescuers broke through thin ice before reaching open water, making rescue efforts more challenging. All personnel on the ice wore cold water/ice rescue suits and are tied off with 300ft safety ropes to an anchor point which was BWFD's UTV stationed on land. Each rescuer also had a support team of firefighters manning each line. BWFD used their UTV enclosed trailer that is set up as rehab unit.

Rescue operations were led by BWFD's certified instructor James Hanson [SODA] and Assistant Fire Chief Paul McMullen of Cascade Fire Department. A very helpful piece of equipment was Cascade's R.D.C. (rapid deployment craft).A R.D.C. is an air inflatable boat that is specially designed for open waterA rescue and worked extremely well in the rescue efforts.

Anyone interested in being a Volunteer Fire Department or Ice Rescue Team Member, please call 920.994.9199 or contact any fire department member. Special thanks to Jim Vetter of Beechwood Sportsman Club for roping off and maintaining the open water area. Pictures provided by Beechwood Fire Department Firefighter Jim Verhalen.