CAMDEN — Using a chainsaw, the Camden Fire Department cut through the 3 inches of ice still covering the upper Megunticook River, just so they could slip in the frigid water below. It was a normal Monday evening for the firefighters, as they took turns practicing how to save drowning victims in extreme conditions. 

“The next couple of weeks is when things get dangerous on the ice,” said Camden Fire Chief Chris Farley. 

With the ice still strong enough that fishermen, snowmobilers and outdoor enthusiasts are venturing out on lakes and ponds, the warming sun is quickly melting it. The skies may still be spitting snow, but open water is eating the ice, presenting conditions ripe enough for animals and people to suddenly fall through.

“There is a heightened awareness around this time of year,” said Farley.

Over the past decade, area lakes have seen their share of cold weather tragedies, from vehicles breaking through ice to early spring boating accidents. 

While the firefighters have had no calls for cold water rescue this past season, they train continuously for the eventuality. On Monday evening, they stationed on the river, above Shirttail Point near the town’s sewer pup station, and spent two hours climbing into the cold water rescue suits.

While four at a time would venture across the ice, using lines, and dragging a backboard and Stokes basket, others remained onshore, practicing hauling techniques.

The four took turns slipping through the hole into water, using techniques to retrieve hypothermic victims, using the backboard to pivot them up, onto the ice, and back to land.

The immersion suits, said Farley, are flexible, buoyant, and warm, with an inner insulation layer and outer waterproof skin.

“They are not hard to move in,” he said.

Participating at the March 30 training were Camden volunteer firefighters Bob French Jr., Scott Entwistle, Jared Lindsey, Galen Todd, Ryan Fisher, Kevin Mulvihill, Matt Heath, T.C. Bland III, Earle Holt, Todd Anderson, Charles Jordan Jr., Paul Hopkins, Andrew Lowe, Tracy Harford and Jeff Weymouth.