SACO, Maine — People falling through the ice is a big concern in Maine and the reason many fire departments conduct annual ice rescue training.
During a Maine winter emergency crews must be ready to respond.
The Biddeford Fire Department spent Tuesday morning on the Saco River.
Deputy Chief Kevin Duross says crews were practicing several techniques that will help them get to the person who fell through the ice and quickly get them to safety.
"We send a rescuer to be able to latch on (to the victim) and then pull that victim to shore with help from ropes that other rescuers are using on shore."
Crews also trained using an inflatable boat that assists firefighters in a rescue situation where every second counts.
"A victim is probably losing some muscle tone, losing ability to fight for themselves to get out" Duross says.
Paul Froman is a paramedic for the Biddeford Fire Department and an ice rescue instructor.
He demonstrated what people can do if they find themselves through thin ice.
The first thing is he says is try not to panic. Then put your arms on top of the ice. "Your arms will be up there, you want to try to kick up your legs, try to go horizontal and once on ice roll."
It's not easy, especially if the ice shelf keeps breaking. Try to go back to the point where you fell in where the ice was thicker before you fell in.
Ice picks will help a lot.
Froman says kick, dig the ice picks into the ice, pull yourself up onto the ice and do the army crawl to a safer spot.
Ice picks will make it easier to get out of the water and increase your chances of survival.
Helping someone survive a fall through the ice is exactly what crews from the Biddeford Fire Department are training so hard for.