A young woman who had become stuck on a block of drifting ice was rescued on Tuesday afternoon by rescuers from the Montreal Fire Department (SIM), in Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, west of the island of Montreal.
The intervention of the ice rescue teams took place near the Sainte-Anne canal, at the corner of Lakeshore and Maple streets, in the early afternoon, in the waters of Lake Saint-Louis.
According to the account of a spokesperson for the SIM, the young woman was first surprised by “a block of ice which had come off the shore”.
Fortunately, no one got hurt. “The rescue intervention was done quickly, in less than 20 minutes. The person was not even in the water, she remained on the block in question, ”reported the Fire Safety Service.
Remember that the rescue service on the waterways is provided 365 days a year. “Firefighters are equipped, among other things, with a suit that provides safety in the event of prolonged exposure to the cold, offering optimal work clothes,” explains the City of Montreal on its website.
Ice rescue simulations are also carried out “continuously throughout the year” by the SIM with its firefighters.
With the arrival of spring and the melting of the ice, the authorities are calling on the population to be vigilant around the waters. Citizens are advised not to venture onto the ice, which could break at any time. At all times, the SIM also calls on the population to wear a safety jacket when venturing on the waters.