USCG leans ice rescue techniques

MARQUETTE — Members of the U.S. Coast Guard spent time today learning ice rescue techniques that could help save a life.

All members of the Coast Guard Station in Marquette learn the ice saving techniques.  Each rescue is different, so the coast guard members prepare for anything that could happen, including rescuing unconscious and unresponsive victims.

“Some of those techniques include using our inflatable fortuna–basically it’s an inflatable boat that we keep in a bag,” USCG second class boatswain mate Jacob Marshall said. “We’ll also be using techniques with are MARSAR shuttle board. It actually has a pulley system (that) makes it easier to pull people up on the ice shelf when they’re actually in the water.”

Not only does the Coast Guard train its members, but it also trains local law enforcement agencies so everyone can use the same techniques.

“We do training with the fire departments in the area and we teach our techniques to them so it’s kind of a standardization of training so everyone’s on the same page,” Marshall said. “We train and maintain with those other services because if it comes down to it, we can work together and perform a rescue together and it’s uniform.”

The Coast Guard also wants to remind people to be safe on the ice, and remember their slogan “Think Twice Before Going on the Ice”.

They also recommend bringing a life jacket, GPS, cell phone, and tools to make sure you can get out of the water safely if you happen to fall through the ice.