Idaho Falls Fire Department held their annual ice rescue training

The Idaho Falls fire department held their ice rescue certification training this afternoon. After a few hours of in-class training, the fire department charged into the cold outdoors and jumped in the icy river for their hands-on training. The fire department holds this class once a year to keep each firefighter’s certification up to date. With freezing conditions, the team has already had to perform several ice rescues this year. This training is important for them to be able to continue to save lives quickly and accurately. Scott Wetzel is the Training Captain of Idaho Falls Fire Department. He says, “This helps us to understand what we are getting into when we go into an ice river rescue.” Wetzel mentioned that they perform this rescue at least three or four times a year and have already had a couple rescues this year. The fire department anticipates that ice conditions over the next few months are going to be a problem. They would also like to remind the public to be safe around frozen bodies of water and don’t put yourself in a situation that has you walking on thin ice.