VIDEO: Firefighter students dive into icy water to practice rescues

Firefighter students from the Academie des Pompiers de Mirabel (Mirabel Firefighter Academy) have spent some of the coldest days of January and February diving into the icy waters of the North River, in Lachute.

Once-a-week for five weeks, firefighter students pulled on their water-suits, swam across the open water in the river, pulled themselves onto the three-inch thick ice and practiced procedures dedicated to teaching them how to save the lives of people who have fallen through thin-ice.

Nine groups of 25 students visited the North River where they spent ten hours practicing winter water rescue. Working in teams, the students started practice by ensuring that they were safely secured by ropes and enshrouded in bright orange cold-water suits that are designed to keep bodies warm, dry and floating.

Swimming through the open-water, the first group of two or three firefighter students climbed onto the ice, walked across the slippery surface and dove into the water on the other side; where they awaited 'rescue' by fellow firefighter students. The second group then repeated the process of swim, climb and trudge, while pulling an inflatable boat intended to ferry the firefighters and victims back to shore. Upon completing the first part of their task, the firefighters then paddled back to shore where they were towed up the steep bank by their fellow classmates.

"The suits keep the firefighters completely dry. The water suit costs about $2,000 and the boat is $6,000 and they are intended to keep our firefighters safe", said Mirabel Firefighter Academy instructor Luc Cuillerier.

According to Cuillerier the most common winter water rescues involve searches for missing ice-fishers and snowmobilers who have fallen through ice while practicing their respective sports.

"If it's marked thin ice, don't go on it. Always verify the ice and remember that if there is a current the ice won't freeze. If you ski, snowmobile or ice-fish- be careful", advised Cuillerier.

Roughly 200 students enrolled at the Mirabel Firefighter Academy this year and according to Cuillerier only about 20 of these students will graduate from the academy and become firefighters. Of that number a further 70 will return to school and continue their education. The average number of women enrolled in the firefighter program is one or two.

The winter water rescue class alone entails 20 hours of class preparation and ten hours spent on the ice and in the water.