This past Tuesday, Hope-Valley Wyoming Firefighters geared up and jumped into Ashville pond off of Canonchet Road to complete an ice rescue training. There are many ponds within our district and this training is very important, especially during this time of the year. Thankfully we've only had to put our skills to the test a hand full of times in the past few years.
Ponds are usually not safe to go out on unless we've had a stretch of below freezing temperatures for more than a couple weeks. When first stepping on to a frozen pond, skate or walk around the edges of the pond to make sure the ice is thick enough and doesn't crack when you walk on it. Keep in mind that the ice will generally be the thinest towards the middle of the pond. Lastly, NEVER STEP ON TO A FROZEN POND ALONE. Always have a friend or group of friends with you that can call for help should you fall through the ice.
