Indian Time - A Voice from the Eastern Door

On Sunday, Jan. 6 the Hogansburg-Akwesasne Volunteer Fire Department was called out when a snowmobiler fell through the ice off of Frasier’s Point, Quebec. The Fort Covington Volunteer Fire Department was dispatched at the same time.

Units from FCVFD responded immediately with Ice Rescue Gear and were followed by units from the HAVFD. The St. Anicet Fire Department was already on scene and all the units converged on Frasier’s Point within ten minutes. HAVFD’s Airboat, Marine 3, manned by Derek Comins, Jerome McDonald and Benny Benedict had been on standby for another search and immediately responded.

Ft. Covington had been at their station for their annual meeting and immediately responded as well. When they arrived an ice rescue technician donned his gear and was picked up by the HAVFD’s Marine 3 to make the rescue.

The victim was helped off the ice by Ft. Covington’s Ice Rescue Technician and pulled aboard HAVFD’s Marine 3.

Units on shore staged the ambulance so that Marine 3 drove right up the riverbank and deposited the victim directly into the waiting ambulance. The victim, who had been in the water and then on the ice for about 40 minutes, was transported to Alice Hyde Memorial Hospital for treatment of cold injuries. The entire rescue took a little over ten minutes from call to transport.

This incident demonstrates the value of HAVFD’s fan boat, Marine 3, and the need to replace it with a unit specifically designed for rescue.

Another odd scene took place when Firefighter Derek Comins drove the airboat down the road to access the ice and encountered a bewildered driver. Only this boat can operate on water, ice and snow and is such a valuable asset to this community.

St. Anicet Fire Department members were in absolute shock after witnessing the rescue. They stated the call was made and a few minutes later the boat came around the bend, Ft. Covington units showed up, followed by HAVFD units and the rescue took place. One member just said “It happened so fast, I can’t believe it!”

Fire Chief Bob Hossler expressed his amazement at the quick response by all units given the circumstances. Chief Hossler had been elected Fire Chief that day and had only been on the job for one hour! This cooperation was the direct result of a joint training involving the HAVFD and FCFD held at Station 3 in Snye on December 15, 2007. Another ice rescue training is scheduled at Ft. Covington on January 19th and should be just as beneficial.

This incident is in addition to a recovery that took place on Christmas Eve and an ongoing search for another possible victim in the north channel of the St. Lawrence River. The Public Safety Agencies in and around Akwesasne cannot state enough the dangers of being on the river at this time of year. Remember “NO ICE IS SAFE ICE!” when considering venturing out on ATV’s and snowmobiles. This winter has already been tragic enough so please stay off the rivers and especially the ice.