Recently a group of firefighters, EMT's, and other first responders from throughout the north country came to Saranac Lake to attend training in "surface ice rescue" and "drown proofing turnout gear". The Saranac Lake Volunteer Fire Department hosted the 3 day event with training provided by "Team Lifeguard Systems, Inc."

The Training began on Friday night at the North Country Community College pool for a session on drown proofing turn out gear. It may seem obvious that heavy firefighter gear may not be the best thing to have on if a firefighter happens to fall in the water. The general public may have never considered incidents where or why this might happen, so to explain here are just a few of the situations that may be encountered: Falling through a floor during a fire and into a flooded basement, that became flooded during firefighting operations, walking onto or backing into a swimming pool, operating in boathouses common to our adirondack lakes, boat fires, etc. all can lead to unexpectedly and accidentally falling in the water with your gear on. It used to be considered near certain drowning if this occurred but not anymore. Team Lifeguard Systems founder Butch Hendrick actually challenged that assumption by suiting up and jumping in and learned that firefighters don't have to die this way. If firefighters are trained to remain calm, not thrash around, and make small calculated and methodical movements, turn out gear not only does not act like an anchor it actually has some buoyant qualities that can help the firefighter survive the incident. The class in drown proofing is actually a confidence course so the students have the experience of being over their head with heavy gear on and know how to survive.

Saturday was a full day of classroom training and dry run exercises in surface ice rescue training. Sunday it was off to the frozen lake where the first responders performed live evolutions of getting in the icy water and making rescues.

Surface Ice Rescue in and around the Adirondack Lakes is actually fairly common. Unfortunately the SLVFD is called upon to perform this task often. Every year its seems like we preach to people that no ice should be considered safe ice, yet folks find themselves in the water on average a few times each year usually in the early winter and in the spring. Ice fishing, cross country skiing, snowmobiling, etc. is part of everyday life here in the cold Adirondack winters so we have to be prepared. We encourage those who venture onto the ice to wear a personal flotation device and carry self rescue equipment such as ice picks At the SLVFD we make an effort to have the proper equipment and training to make the best attempt to save folks who find themselves through the ice.

In recent years SLVFD has hosted Team Lifeguard Systems, Inc. We have hosted this training here approximately biannually and we invite area first responders to attend. Team LGS is a premier training and consulting organization located in Shokan NY. They provide training worldwide. It is truly incredible training given by a first class leader in water rescue. To Learn more about Team LGS follow the link at the end of the article.

SLVFD Dive Captain Ken McLaughlin and SLVFD members dedicate an enormous amount of volunteer time to make this training happen. It is worthwhile training and we know the training does contribute to the rescues that we make. This years session included first responders from the Saranac Lake Volunteer Fire Department, the Saranac Lake Volunteer Rescue Squad, The Paul Smiths Gabriels Volunteer Fire Department, New York State Forest Rangers, the Rouses Point Volunteer Fire Department, and the Cadyville Volunteer Fire Department.

Team Lifeguard Systems, Inc. Training crew was lead by Andrea Zaferes, Andrea's bio is as follows:

Andrea began teaching diving with Dr. Lee Somers and Karl Huggins at the University of Michigan’s Scientific Diving Program. She served as a Diving Safety Officer for the American Museum of Natural History’s Animal Behavior Research Department, and had three research papers published by the age of 22.

She took her first diving rescue course at age 16 with Walt Butch Hendrick. Since that time she has become Vice President of Lifeguard Systems Inc. and RIPTIDE Inc, a course director and instructor trainer, a well published author, a noted public speaker, an award winner, a program designer, and is one of the leading trainers in the international water rescue and recovery industries today.

Andrea teaches over hundreds of police, fire, EMS, military, and USCG personnel annually throughout the U.S., Canada, Asia, and Caribbean.

Andrea, Vice President of Lifeguard Systems and RIPTIDE, a NAUI & ACUC course director, and a PADI, DAN, and Red Cross Instructor, teaches approximately 1000 surface rescue and dive personnel annually. She co-authored with Walt Hendrick such videos and books as Surface Ice Rescue, Scuba Instructor Readiness Series, Field Neurological Evaluations, Public Safety Dive Operations, Blackwater Contingency, and Homicidal Drowning Investigator, was the managing editor of SORTIE Magazine, she manages the www.wateroperation.com discussion group, and has over 100 published articles. She is a noted public speaker, is an award winner, and is a NYS EMT. Her main mission is to keep you alive and well.