Nokomis FD holds cold water rescue training

TOWN OF NOKOMIS – This week, the Nokomis Volunteer Fire Department conducted cold water rescue training.

In a Facebook post, the department said it was able to set up at the Windmill Ice Cream Shoppe to utilize open water under the nearby bridge on County Rd. L.

Department members worked on lighting, rope handling, verbal and non-verbal communication, radio use, rescues, self-rescues and overall safety during the exercise.

“We also tried out our new 10-inch 40-volt electric ice augers,” the department stated. “Less weight, less noise compared to our Jiffy two-cycle unit.”

The department noted that the new augers are “good to have when we need to make holes in the ice fast to access water for fires.”

“Despite the low lake water level, the channel under the bridge and trestle is still deep enough that we couldn't touch the bottom,” the department said. “The edge of the ice was about ½-inch thick, so be warned – no ice is safe ice.”