Members of the Oswego Fire Department spend most of their time responding to fires within city boundaries. However, the department also spends a significant amount of time training for water emergencies in places like Lake Ontario and the Oswego River.

This hands-on training is essential in an area where many people enjoy recreational activities on the water, even in the winter.

“Today we’re specifically going over ice water rescue training,” said Oswego Fire Department Captain Eric Hitchcock.

This training is something Eric and all his fellow comrades go through in this department. Today’s mission, the icy waters of Lake Ontario, to conduct a simulated rescue effort for someone who has fallen through the ice.

“We have folks on the ice either recreating, ice fishing, whatever they’re doing. Some people in boats still. Fishing in the river. So we’ve got to make sure we’re able to get to those folks if an incident were to occur," said Oswego Fire Department Chief Randall Griffin.

Regular training for this takes place few times each year. During the winter months, firefighters spend time getting acclimated to the frigid water and practice self-rescue exercises, should they have to jump in.

“So what he’s going to do is get himself in the corner, find hard ice that he can prop his chest and arms up on as much as he can. If he had picks, he could use those to help, but he doesn’t have those right now. Once he’s ready, he’s going to start kicking his feet as hard as he can to pull himself out. Once he gets out, he’s going to roll and he’s going to stay low and flat on the ice the whole time,” said Hitchcock during a recent training procedure.

In addition to learning how to save themselves, there’s also the victim rescue exercises - which are the main focus. They use a four-to-one rescue system. Four firefighters, two in the water and two out, are used to pull in the victim to safety.

“Going to give the signal. Our guys are going to use that mechanical advantage as we said. He’s going to stay with him the whole time," said Hitchcock.

Griffin said this training can be used for any body of water including the lake, a river, or a frozen swimming pool. It’s training that many may not even realize goes on, but can be the difference between life and death.

"We’re an all-hazards, all-risk provider, not just a fire department. So, regardless of the situation we may come across or a person may get themselves into, from hazardous materials response to building fires to emergency medical responses, to water and ice rescue, it’s something we have to prepare for all the time,” said Griffin.

The Oswego Fire Department is a paid department with right around 45 firefighters. All of those firefighters are required to receive full hazardous training to handle an emergency.