February came with a slow and very cold start. Taking advantage of the cold weather, the River Rescue And Tactical Services (RRATS) Team went up to Deep Creek for some ice rescue training. The RRATS team is comprised of Montgomery County Fire & Rescue Personnel, both career and volunteer, from various stations and volunteer companies across the county.
RRATS team members participated in a combined Ice Rescue Training drill at Deep Creek Lake over the weekend of February 15 – 18, 2013. The team practiced ice rescue techniques in sub-zero temperatures to effectively and safely be ready when called upon to assist citizens in life threatening situations. Their training included: On shore reach techniques, real time “staged” in-water rescues, (yes, we had RRATS personnel placed in the frozen lake to simulate actual rescue scenarios), Airboat deployment for search and rescue and Hypothermia protocols.
The trip to Deep Creek Lake has become a tradition over the years, and continues to be a fantastic opportunity to train. The ability to train on thick ice is an opportunity that is difficult to take advantage of in and around Montgomery County, so CJPVFD enjoys the ability to send RRATS members to train at Deep Creek.