Saugus firefighters go for frigid rescue training

SAUGUS – Saugus firefighters spent a recent morning in the freezing water at Birch Pond, but they weren?t trying out for the local Polar Bear Club.The firefighters were honing their cold water and ice rescue skills.Fire Chief James Blanchard said the warm winter has made conditions “exceptionally frightening” for both firefighters and residents.?The reservoir was frozen over for a little bit, then it would open up, and people have a tendency to go out there,” said Blanchard. ?Dogs walk out there and then their owner goes out to get them. When you have a few weeks below 32 degrees, it?s not as scary. The warmer weather makes it worse. People think it?s February and if there?s ice on the pond it has to be safe. This year it doesn?t mean a thing.”Capt. Donald Shea led the training exercises, and while the conditions of the ice may be dangerous for regular people, he said the pond was perfect for training.?The ice varies every few feet,” said Shea. “It presents a real challenge for us. Usually we take a chainsaw and go out and cut a hole. Today we were able to just walk out there gingerly, find a couple of soft spots and just fall right through.”The firefighters practiced using several different tools, including a pike pole, throw bags, a special buoyant rescue sled and insulated, cold water rescue suits.?No one single tool works in every single situation,” said Blanchard. “Sometimes there?s snow on the ice, which makes it difficult to get out there. There are a lot of different techniques depending on what the conditions are.”The most equipment is the Mustang rescue suits, which firefighter Alex Watton said helps keep rescuers in the water longer.?It?s actually pretty amazing,” said Watton. “I was in the water for 20 minutes straight and I was fine. I could?ve stayed longer.”But while Blanchard said the suits are well-insulated, they?re also very buoyant, which poses a problem if a victim is fully submerged.?If you have a victim that has already slipped under, we can?t get underwater to get to them,” said Blanchard. “But you absolutely need it if you are going to spend any time in the water.”Blanchard said firefighters ran into that situation in December when a car drove off the Fox Hill Bridge and into the Saugus River, killing a 24-year-old New York City woman.?Our Engine 1 got there right away and we had one guy in the suit who went right into the water,” said Blanchard. “The car is underwater and he couldn?t get underwater to get the person that was still in the car. So another Saugus firefighter jumped in the water and swam out, and got into the vehicle and pulled the lady out.”Firefighters practiced different rescue techniques and were able to use each piece of equipment for different scenarios.Shea said they also practice self-rescues, where a firefighter throws a rope to a victim in the water in the hopes he or she can pull themselves out of the ice.?We?ll say, ?Can you feel that with your hands? Can you grab the rope?? That tells me two things, he?s still dexterous and can still move,” said Shea. “If he can?t do it, then it?s the exact opposite and we?re running out of time.”But of all the tools firefighters use, Shea said the most important part of a cold water rescue is time.He called hypothermia their “biggest enemy” and said it can take as little as 12 minutes in 40-degree water for its effects to settle in.?For the unsuspected person running out and chasing their dog, hypothermia just sucks the heat right out of you,” said Shea. “Our general rule of thumb is no ice is safe ice.”Matt Tempesta can be reached at [email protected].