First responders are reminding residents to stay off waterways during fluctuating temperatures after firefighters sagely rescued a dog and a resident who fell through the ice on a portion of the Rideau River.
“This incident serves as an important reminder to residents: never venture onto the ice to attempt a rescue yourself,” Ottawa Fire Services said in a post. “Your best chance of survival, and your pet’s, is to remain on shore and immediately call 911.”
Teams were called shortly after 1:15 p.m. Saturday by a bystander reporting that a dog had fallen through the ice near the intersection of Strandherd and Prince of Wales drives. The caller reported the dog was partially submerged and clinging to the ice with its front paws.
When crews arrived, they spotted the dog, but also identified a resident who had attempted to rescue the animal and subsequently fell through the ice.
The Ice Rescue Team established a tethered rescue system and deployed.
Both the resident and the dog were safely rescued and brought to shore to be assessed by paramedics.
This comes after two more incidents on the Rideau River in January.
Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) responded to the Rideau River for the second time in a week for a snowmobile that went through the ice.
The driver of the snowmobile was able to get to shore. Earlier that week, Ottawa fire helped more emergency responders in Burritts Rapids when a person fell through the ice and was holding onto the snowmobile “struggling to remain out of the water.”
Teams entered the water and were able to grab the person on the ice. More crews were deployed, including a rescue sled to help the person escape the river.
By 6:16 p.m., the person was on shore and transferred to paramedics. They were treated for hypothermia and released, OPP detailed.