Jackie Martin – The News Herald, Southgate, Mich.
It almost never happens, but when it did, the Riverview Fire Department was ready.
A man in his 50s laced up in hockey gear and went onto the Reflection Pond ice in Riverview’s Young Patriot’s Park Dec. 8, and then ended up falling through the thin ice.
The city’s first responders had the proper gear and training to go out there and get the struggling skater.
He had been in the water for about 10 minutes, which is about how long it took firefighters to get there, suit up, and launch a rescue.
According to Riverview Fire Chief Glen Owens, two sergeants ventured onto the ice after the man.
“He was oriented, but very cold,” Owens said. “He left a helmet, gloves and a hockey stick out on the ice.”
The Trenton Fire Department was on hand and transported him to Corewell Health Trenton Hospital.
“He called the next day about his hockey equipment,” Owens said.
Police issued a warning to people visiting the park not to try and retrieve the items.
There are always signs posted when it is safe to skate on the ice and when visitors should stay off of it.
“The Department of Public Works measures the thickness of the ice,” Owens said. “They change the signs. That day, the signs said don’t do it.”
Owens said the ice should be at least 5 inches thick.
If fire crews had not arrived when they did and got to him so quickly, the fire chief believes the man would have been in grave danger.
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He noted that it doesn’t take long for hypothermia to set in and the water was near freezing.
“We donned the appropriate gear to safely transport him across the ice with a rope around him,” the chief said.
The temperature had warmed up significantly that day and Owens said the man might not have realized that the ice had rapidly thinned.
It also could have been thicker where he entered onto the ice, and then thinned as he went farther out.
The fire chief is new to the department having been in place only a few months.
He said he couldn’t emphasize strongly enough how impressively skilled the firefighters are in several areas of rescue.
While he said a rescue like this one, where minutes count, have been practically non-existent, he said the department has firefighters who are members of various rescue teams, including the Downriver Mutual Aid Dive Team, arson investigation, HAZMAT, and logistics, to name a few.
He has been impressed with the department’s passion for cross training and he is still getting to know their capabilities.
As for his sergeants, Owens is especially proud of their successful efforts that saved the man.
“They did a phenomenal job,” he said.
Police said while they, too, love to see residents out and having fun during the cold winter months, they are pointing out the importance of not putting themselves, as well as first responders, at risk.
Owens stresses to anyone going to the Reflection Pond to check the signs, which are at the entrance and around the pond, and make sure they indicate it is safe before unintentionally walking out on thin ice.
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