Surface Ice Review

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The following is an excerpt from MEDIA REVIEW in Advanced Rescue Technology Volume 5, Number 1 February/March 2002 by Norm Rooker, EMT-P Reprinted with permission of Advanced Rescue Technology, Van Nuys, CA

Surface Ice Rescue by Walt "Butch" Hendrick and Andrea Zaferes.

Fire Engineering, 1999 ISBN 0-912212-85-3

Every winter, we see news footage of a firefighter in full turnouts struggling across, and usually breaking through, a sheet of ice while attempting to rescue someone who has fallen through. This is a brave individual, who is usually undertrained, improperly equipped and improperly led, attempting to do the best he or she can to save a life. Fortunately, while I have a lot of unique water rescue problems in my jurisdiction, ice rescue is not one of them. If it was, I may well have been one of those well-meaning rescuers. That is until I read Surface Ice Rescue by Walt "Butch" Hendrick and Andrea Zaferes.

This is one great book! Hendrick and Zaferes present a very relaxed, reality-based book that addresses just about every issue around this unique subcategory of water rescue. The authors address everything from the Awareness, Operational and Technician levels of ice rescue; how ICS or IMS is applied to ice rescue incidents and the roles of each position; what kind of training and equipment are required for each level of response with straight-up cautions and watch-out fors; and how not to "be taken to the cleaners" by some slick salesman. As they caution, expensive is not necessarily better.

Also shared are a number of safety issues and strategies like, no one gets within 25 feet of the ice or water's edge without wearing a PFD (personal flotation device), or keeping your EMS personnel and their ambulance warm so they can begin treatment and be able to use those unique EMS fine motor skills at a moment's notice. Also, setting up spotters for each victim in the water so if they disappear below the surface, your team has a point-last-seen reference to work with.

Another strategy that hit me between the eyes like a bolt of lightning and made me say "Duh", was the use of ice divers. If the ice is junky, Hendrick and Zaferes recommend inserting ice divers under the ice to support and stabilize the victim while the surface ice rescue team is making its way out - a two-pronged approach for a safe and effective rescue.

There are also several chapters on various medical aspects of cold exposure and its effects on victims and rescuers. Especially the effects of multiple cold exposures.

All in all, this is one great book! This book is literally a must-have for anyone involved in or who may remotely be part of involved in an ice rescue. It should be part of every organization's resource library. Did I mention that I really like this book?

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