Coast Guard crews take an icy plunge
Story and photos by Petty Officer Etta Smith
A crew from Coast Guard Station Burlington headed out in the chilly negative 4-degree air this morning and plunged into the icy 33-degree waters of Lake Champlain to conduct an ice rescue drill.
The crew conducts ice rescue drills about twice a week to familiarize themselves with the challenges that come along with making rescues on a frozen lake in sub-zero temperatures, said Senior Chief Petty Officer Louis Coleman, the officer in charge of the station.
“It keeps you on your toes,” Coleman said about the icy conditions they encounter on the lake. “With this recent cold snap, we are definitely into the ice season now.”
During the drill, Coleman played the role of the victim, and Seaman Jonathan Vorwerk was the member of the rescue team that entered the water and pulled Coleman to safety.
“Getting through the ice and cold water with rescue gear, while wearing a survival suit, can be tough,” said Vorwerk. “Being familiar with the gear and the sled and how to use it in a rescue really helps.”
Coleman says another challenge the crew faces when responding to an emergency on the ice-covered lake is accessing the scene. Unless the crew can walk across the lake to reach the person in distress, they have to load up their truck and drive around the lake to the closest position from the shore.
“We rely heavily on our local partners,” said Coleman. “They are often the first responders on scene, when our response is slowed by distance and road conditions.”
The station crew is scheduled to conduct joint training with the fire department in early February to further strengthen the relationship between the two agencies, said Coleman.
Coleman said each year his crew responds to about eight to 10 emergencies on the frozen lake.
“When the lake freezes, we get busy,” said Coleman. “The tempo of our operations changes, but it doesn’t slow down.”
Although ice fishing is popular, Coleman recommends that people stay off the frozen lake in the winter.
“There is no such thing as safe ice -- we can’t express that enough,” Coleman said.
If people do intend to venture out on the precarious ice-covered lake, Coleman urges them to take similar safety precautions as they would if they were boating.
Taking actions such as filing a float plan with someone on shore, detailing a destination and an expected return time, can provide valuable information to rescuers in the event of an emergency.
Coleman also recommends people have the appropriate cold-water survival gear and a Coast Guard approved life jacket to provide flotation in case they fall through the ice.
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