First Responder’s Specialized Winter Training

TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI) – Whenever snow and wintry weather hits our area, many people like to venture outside.

Tupelo Firefighters have been using the area’s only ice rink to brush up on their icy water rescue skills, just in case they’re called upon.

It’s a drill that is all done on the ice.

After putting on dry suits, to protect first responders, firefighters spot their victims in the middle of the Bancorpsouth Arena’s ice rink.

“There was an animal that had got, fell into the ice, it could easily happen, somewhere in a park, somebody tries to go help rescue the animal, could be a family dog, we used a deer as a mannequin, but could have been a dog , horse, whatever, that person falls in while he’s trying to do the rescue,” said Captain Brad Robinson, who  helps oversee the drill.  At first, firemen throw a rope to the victim, hoping to pull him to safety.   When that doesn’t work, they cautiously make their way to the person in trouble.

After reaching the victim, and securing him on to a backboard, it’s time to move to a safe place.

“We have to get them out of that situation,then once we get them to land, we get them packaged up and ready to go,” said Sgt. Stan Wood.

The drills will take Tupelo Firefighters through icy water rescue training.  In fact, local law enforcement have already answered several calls about kids playing on the ice, as temperatures have dropped.

“One day last week we got called out two different times, two different sets of kids, playing on the ice in a nearby subdivision, just outside of city limits of Tupelo so we had to go out there twice, that same day, for kids playing on the ice,” said Capt. Terry Robinson.

Luckily, no one was hurt, but first responders want to be prepared if they are ever called out on an ice rescue.

Tupelo Firefighters also use the Bancorpsouth Arena for high rope training and rescue drills.