EASTHAMPTON — When the temperatures drop below freezing, recreational pastimes like skating or ice fishing bring people out to frozen bodies of water such as Lower Mill Pond and Nashawannuck Pond.
But the only ice the Fire Department deems safe enough to walk on in the city is Williston-Northampton School’s Lossone Rink, according to Easthampton Fire Capt. Matt Sandler.
“Once or twice a year we respond to calls for someone falling through the ice,” Sandler said. “With moving or still water, there’s always the potential that someone could fall through. No ice is ‘safe’ ice.”
When a person falls through the ice, their body can go into shock from the rapid change in temperature. Once a person’s core body temperature drops to 95 degrees, they officially become hypothermic, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
For the past two days, members of the Fire Department have practiced what a dangerous scenario could be like at Nashawannuck Pond. Training will continue into Wednesday and Thursday. The department, which has a staff of 31 members, split into training groups to simulate a cold water rescue. When firefighters cut through the ice on Monday, the ice was more than a foot thick, said Fire Chief Christopher Norris.
Firefighters utilized brand-new ice rescue training equipment the department purchased with the help of a $4,600 Emergency Management Performance Grant through the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency. With the grant money, the department purchased a MARSARS ice rescue sled, sling and reel equipment as well as four ice rescue suits. The equipment replaces gear that is more than 20 years old, Sandler said.
“Our equipment was in dire need of repair,” he said, noting that some of the old suits would leak. “They’ve definitely outlived their lifespan.”
Rescue equipment has evolved since sleds like the Rescue Alive were first introduced, said Norris. The department’s new sled is much lighter and allows better ease of deployment. The previous sled could be challenging and cumbersome to use and could even lead to injury, he said.
In addition to the city’s ponds, the department also provides mutual aid to Northampton, Southampton and Westhampton fire departments for cold water rescues. While rescues don’t happen often, Norris said the risk remains high.
“Training for these kinds of scenarios is very important. There are so many variables with the ice, which is why it’s important for us to be prepared and better trained for those types of events,” he said.
Emily Thurlow can be reached at ethurlow@gazettenet.com.
