Woman and her dog fall through ice on pond, water rescue team performs successful rescue | Joplin News First

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (COM) — A call to 911 Sunday afternoon was the first step in saving a Springfield woman's life after she fell through the ice on a pond while trying to save her dog.

The Lakeshore Apartments3660 South Cox Road, where the woman was walking with her two dogs when one fell through the ice. She went after the dog, which the fire department says: “Don't try to save yourself,“Whether human or dog, call 911.

Pan through the photos, courtesy of the Springfield Fire Department

“Capt. Chris Gardner and operator Tyler Nevins performed the rescue, assisted by members of the water rescue team who had trained just last week,” said a news release from the Springfield Fire Dept.

SFD shares a water rescue video that shows two members of the water rescue team crawling on their stomachs onto the ice. They are retrieved by pulling on a rope attached to their running boards.

The little dog is quickly rescued and they pull the water rescuer back to the bank.

After the woman is secured by the water rescue officer, he shouts: “PULL!“And they pull the woman and the firefighter back to the shore together. Their weight breaks the ice and makes a way into the receding water.

The woman was quickly surrounded by emergency services, warmed up and taken by ambulance to Mercy as a precaution. They said their core temperature was low, which happens very quickly in these conditions.

SPRINGFIELD FIRE DEPT REMINDER – Stay away from the ice

Every year, 250 Americans die after falling into icy ponds, lakes and streams, and rescuers have only moments to respond and get victims to safety. Team members braved the cold this week to practice safely breaking through the ice and performing self-rescue and victim movement maneuvers.

The Springfield Fire Department sent out a reminder to the public to stay away from the ice just Friday.

“While the ice on the surface appears solid and can support your weight, the reality is very different, which can result in you falling through the ice into very cold water,” said Springfield Fire Chief David Pennington. “This is becoming a dangerous and very serious situation very quickly.”

It is said that if you see someone in an emergency situation falling through the ice, here are some tips:

• If you see someone playing on the ice or falling through the ice, the fire department wants to remind you of some important steps to take to save lives.
• Call 9-1-1 so the water rescue team can be notified and respond immediately. Don't try to save yourself.
• If it is safe to do so, maintain voice and visual contact with the victim. Provide encouragement and reassurance that help is on the way. Be prepared to assist responders in directing them to the location.