The Fairfield Fire Department will be more ready than ever before for ice rescues.
Over the weekend, the department participated in two-days worth of training. After acquiring rescue suits several months back, the department tested them out for the first time and dove into the lake at Waterworks Park on Sunday.
The firefighters got a feel for being in freezing waters and practiced pulling themselves out of ice. In addition to Fairfield firefighters, members of the Packwood and Lockridge departments also participated in the training.
“It’s just another resource available in case it’s needed in an emergency,” Fairfield Fire Department fire chief Scott Vaughan said. The chief explained that the department was able to get suits in part through a grant with the city’s local-option sales tax. The suits provide 40 lbs. of buoyancy and insulation that protect the firefighters from the cold.