Fire departments receive specialized training amid increase in pet related ice rescues in Colorado
On a sunny and warm Colorado winter day, taking in a little on-ice recreation might be a tempting but deadly proposition. Especially if you are a pet owner.
"The sun comes out, it's blue sky. It's nice enough as the day progresses to maybe be in shorts or not have to wear a jacket. And that's where we see the dogs get into the most trouble," said Aurora Fire Rescue Public Information Officer Eric Hurst.
He says he has noticed an uptick in dog and dog owner ice rescues this time of year.
"Because there's birds on the ice, geese, things like that, and then they wander off and can fall through," said Hurst.
That's why Aurora Fire Rescue firefighters were at the Aurora Reservoir Sunday; to sharpen their ice rescue skills. If you or your dog falls through thin ice into freezing water, firefighters say that is a bad situation for everyone.
"Hypothermia could set in fast. There's a lot of panic that's going through people's minds, and it's slippery. So, trying to use bare hands or even, you know, soppy wet gloved hands to try and get out on your own is going to be really difficult," said Hurst
So rescuers need to be ready to save lives as quickly as possible, and having this training top of mind is important.
"It could be within minutes of leaving the fire station that they're going to be on the ice rescuing a person or a dog," said Hurst.
With temperatures on the rise, they want to remind people to stay off the ice from here on out and keep their dogs on a leash when they are near bodies of water. But should the unthinkable happen, these men and women will be ready.
"We know accidents happen. We don't want people to be afraid to call 911 if there is an accident like that," said Hurst.
