Montreal fire department beefs up ice rescue training amid mild weather
Faced with increasingly mild winters, Montreal's fire department (SIM) is kicking its ice rescue training into high gear.
Martin Guilbault, head of the SIM's training division, said the constant fluctuations above and below the freezing mark have made the ice especially unsafe this year.
"The fact that the weather goes up over zero and then below zero and over zero, it doesn't make the ice very thick for a long period of time," he told CTV News.
The SIM's ice rescue team has performed 10 rescues since the start of 2024 alone, and more interventions are expected as the ice continues to thaw.
Last week, the team was spotted doing practice drills in the St. Lawrence River. Guilbault explained they were filming an instructional video, which trainees will watch before testing the waters themselves.
Given the urgency ice breaks, the training required is highly specific. About 150 SIM firefighters are qualified to perform ice rescues.
"We're dealing more with freezing water and the fact that when people go in the water because the ice breaks, we have [only] a couple of minutes to get to them," Guilbault said, stressing the risks of hypothermia.
"The other challenging part of it is to get to the person, because you can have thicker ice, then thinner ice."
The SIM uses specialized rescue boats made by the company UMA to churn through as much icy water as possible. In some cases, a rescuer, tethered to the boat, will shimmy onto the ice to retrieve the endangered person.
But no amount of training can beat prevention, said Guilbaut. Under the current conditions, he's advising Montrealers not to venture onto the ice at all.
"The main fact is, we don't want to use our techniques to go get you out of the water," he said. "Don't go on the ice, especially in the days to come."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
DEVELOPING Israel says Hamas deal is 'far' from meeting its demands as Rafah offensive looms
Israel said the terms of a ceasefire deal Hamas accepted on Monday remained 'far from' meeting its demands and warned its military operations in Rafah would continue, even as it sent negotiators to talk to mediators.
2024 Met Gala: Everything to know about fashion's annual soiree
Fashion's biggest night out — hosted at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York each year on the first Monday of May — is both a forever-evolving spectacle and a carefully crafted event.
Concern over speeding in Fredericton neighbourhood grows after 2 teens, young adult killed in crash
Three people – including two teens – are dead, and two others are injured after a crash that has left a greater Fredericton community shaken.