Fort Frances Fire Department Water and Ice Rescue Program Update

Your Fort Frances Fire Rescue Service is always moving towards providing you with the best possible service for when you need us most – in times of crisis. The Town of Fort Frances is not only surrounded by water, that water freezes in winter. Water and Ice Rescues are complex and technical and require high levels of training and top-level gear to ensure good outcomes and the safety of both the citizens we are sworn to protect and the fire crews that respond.

With that, we wanted to provide an update on one of the programs that we provide under Town bylaw – Water and Ice Rescue:
• New gear is being purchased as older gear has aged out of service.
• An Ice Rescue training refresher will be delivered to crews as soon as possible.
• A rigorous Water and Ice Rescue certification training will also be delivered, starting with swim training at the Memorial pool to begin asap, followed by water rescue training that includes open water, watercraft based rescue, and land based rescue.
• The full Ice Rescue component will take place next fall.

Until training reaches the level required for this highly complex level of rescue, and in-service gear is obtained, crew members will be performing rescues through land-based operations only.

As always, feel free to reach out directly to Chief Dave Robertson with questions or concerns at 807-274-5323 ext. 1250

It is a privilege and an honour to be able to serve you, the citizens of Fort Frances. Thank you!

Contact:

Town of Fort Frances Main Line 807-274-5323
Chelsea Grieg, Interim Clerk Ext. 1212
Marcel Michaels, Chief Administrative Officer Ext. 1213