Firefighter: “Always think when climbing on ice: 100 percent to break in”

The fifth team of Kaunas fire rescuers stands out from the others in that it employs divers. They are the main lifeline when it comes to working in water bodies or pulling ice-crashed disasters in the winter.

Usually, the nearest firefighters rush to the scene, not everyone has the experience to work with special equipment used by diver rescuers or simply lacks the skills of pulling people into a frozen body of water.

When the cold pressed and the water bodies covered with a thin layer of ice, exercises were held. Their year-to-year rescuers shared their knowledge with colleagues working on land.

Photo by Erik Ovcharenko / 15min photo / Firefighter exercises on ice

Artūras Petrovas, the commander of the fifth team of Kaunas, who organized the exercise, said that such ice is only at the beginning and end of the season. It is thin, easily broken. You can feel the limit on when you can walk, when you crawl, and when you need to run.

“If we break and managed to get back on the ice, we have to go back in the same way or direction as we came. If we got to the breaking point, then the ice before it was thick enough to support us, we need to come back with it. You can’t try to go to places that haven’t been tested yet, “A. Petrov advised.

An experienced lifeguard advises you to wear a life jacket with you when climbing on ice. According to the man, there are a wide variety of them at the moment, there are some that cost several tens of euros, but can perfectly save lives.

The second necessary thing – curses or spikes. If they are not available, any other sharp object can be used to help climb on the ice in the event of an accident. A knife or even a simple fork is suitable for this.

Photo by Erik Ovcharenko / 15min photo / Firefighter exercises on ice

“We notice that more and more fishermen already have this tool. It is also very important to have a rope. When climbing on ice, you don’t have to think I won’t fall, but think I’ll fall 100 percent. When a person prepares, he not only feels differently, but also behaves accordingly, ”says the firefighter.

In an effort to keep their distance, fishermen often sit not only 10 but also 100 meters apart. Rescuers advise not to forget each other and at least keep an eye on the environment.

“When you see a drowning colleague, first call the services and only if you are ready to try to go towards the drowning,” A. Petrov advised how to act in case of an accident.

The man said that in the event of an accident, people get lost, forget that there is a car nearby, and there are parts in it that can partially replace the tools used by firefighters. For example, the trunk lid of a car placed on ice in the cabin will help distribute the weight, slipping on it will reduce the chances of breaking.

“And if you feel a surge while walking on the ice, this is the first sign that the ice is extremely thin and can be broken at any moment. You need to turn around as soon as possible and retreat on the same way back to the shore, ”the rescuer advised.

Towards the end of the exercise, rescuers’ radios rang. The operator’s voice reported that a woman nearby, on the other shore, had reported a swan frozen on ice to services.

Divers soon responded and landed on the shore to the other side of the lake. But as the birds began to creep on the ice, they spread their wings and rose like nowhere. The message did not confirm.

Photo by Erik Ovcharenko / 15min photo / Firefighter exercises on ice