Fire sleigh, ATV help ice, trail rescues

HUNTSVILLE — A new fire sleigh and ATV are proving valuable new tools for firefighters here.

Huntsville fire’s ATV helped paramedics with an injured snowmobiler.

The Huntsville/Lake of Bays Fire Department responded to several call to assist Muskoka Paramedic Services in accessing patients on the ice and on the trails Feb. 10-11.

Fire crews from Baysville responded to two calls requiring their ATV and rescue sleigh, says Mike Vadlja, fire prevention officer.

The first was to assist with removing a patient on the ice.

Later the same day the equipment was requested for an injured snowmobiler that had hit a pressure crack on the ice.

The UTV and rescue sleigh from Port Sydney were required to assist with an injured snowmobiler approximately two kilometres from the main road in Utterson.

The demand for rescue equipment has increased as recreational sports continue to grow in our area. The Huntsville/Lake of Bays Fire Department along with Muskoka Paramedic Services and OPP rely on specialized equipment to ensure public safety.