Lethbridge fire crews and EMS train for rescues on the Oldman River

Emergency crews held some drills on the Oldman River Wednesday to help in the event of river rescues.

Lethbridge — With a heightened awareness around river safety following the drowning of two girls in the St. Mary River, and emergency crews still searching for the third, members from Lethbridge fire and emergency services took part in some water rescue training exercises on the Oldman River Wednesday.

It is scheduled training, which started last week, but officials say now is the perfect time to train up the 12 members taking part due to the high waters in the river.

They were broken up into groups due to COVID-19 and learned about how the three different rescue boats owned by the department operate in the water, how to react to different emergency procedures and simulated victim pick up exercises.

Two of the three boats were recently acquired and were specifically designed to work on rivers with fluctuating depths in just short distances.

Officials say it’s incredibly important for everyone to be trained up.

"Not only on the operation of our boats but the area familiarization just so we what hazards are out there and how our boats are going to respond in a certain situation," water rescue team lead Brendon Pyne said. "Right now we’ve got the luxury of doing the training while the river is high, but we’ll have to come back out later on in the year when it’s lower because it presents different hazards as the water drops down."

With travel limited due to COVID-19, there could be an increase in the volume of people taking to the Oldman River this summer.

"I’ve heard rumours that the pools may not be open, and if they’re not open I’m sure people are going to want to cool down and get out on the water," Pyne said. "Even with our course last week, it was on nice days and there were a lot of people already floating this early in the year."

One of the key messages from officials was around residents avoiding taking any alcohol on the river, or drinking before getting in, as well as wearing the proper footwear to be able to get out of the water in case something happens.

The training itself is exciting for the members getting to experience it for the first time, but given the recent events in southern Alberta, its importance can’t be overstated.

"A lot of times, it looks like we’re just kind of playing out in the water on the boat, but it is crucial training. Especially when the river is really high and really dangerous because we have to be able to maneuver that boat fast and securely," senior firefighter Jaydon McCarthy said.

While fire and EMS officials realize people will likely be flocking to the river this summer, they’re stressing the importance of wearing a personal floatation device at all times in the water because it’s better to be safe than sorry.