Don't rescue animals that go though the ice, Sudbury Fire Services warns

Ice on waterways across Sudbury is deteriorating as temperatures continue to warm and that means Greater Sudbury Fire Services are on alert in case someone falls through into the frigid waters below.

All local professional firefighters are trained in ice-water rescue.

The chief training officer with fire services told CBC News that most of their rescue calls involve recreational situations, "like sledding and ice fishing."

But there are also the calls that come from people trying to rescue animals.

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Colin Brainey said an animal went through the ice a couple of weeks ago, and some people wanted to go out and help the animal.

"We will go out if somebody calls to say there is an animal going through," Brainy said.

"Normally that's not a standard rescue that we would do, but we will go out just for the sheer fact that we know people would be compromising their safety to go out and save a pet."

Brainey warns people not to go out after an animal trapped on the ice.

He said fire service crews train twice a year to be ready for any type of water rescue in the spring and fall when the ice is most unstable. Volunteer firefighters are trained in shore-based rescue.

They are most frequently called out forrescue operations in the spring.