Calgary, AB,

Calgary Fire Department Responds to Water Rescue Incident

At approximately 1:00 this afternoon, the Calgary Fire Department responded to a 911 call to the Bow River near Ogden Road in the southeast for a possible missing person. On arrival, crews witnessed an unleashed dog near the river bank, and a parked vehicle as well as footprints leading to the water edge. Firefighters found clothing in the water nearby, and proceeded downstream with the assistance of the CFD aquatic rescue team and firefighters on shore to find a dog in the water. The dog was rescued from the water and both dogs were safely transferred to Bylaw services. Calgary Fire and Calgary Police located the missing person in the river near Glenmore Trail and were able to retrieve the person from the water and transport them to shore by boat. On scene crews assisted AHS with patient care and life saving efforts.

With warmer temperatures in the forecast for this coming weekend, the Calgary Fire Department reminds you to stay safe on ice-covered bodies of water.

The ice covering rivers, community lakes, storm ponds, and waterways, can be dangerous. Stay safe by staying off the ice near waterways unless it is a City or community-designated ice rink.

  • For outdoor skating, only skate on City of Calgary or community rinks.
  • Always keep a safe distance from riverbanks and lakeshores to avoid accidentally falling through the ice.
  • Don't walk on ice-covered bodies of water, including storm ponds. It's difficult to assess the thickness of the ice and its ability to hold the weight of a person or animal.
  • If a person or an animal falls through ice into water, call 9-1-1. Do not attempt to rescue them yourself. Encourage the person to kick and pull themselves up onto the ice and roll, rather than walk, towards the shore.

What to do if you fall through ice into water

  • Stay calm and try to keep your head is out of the water and control your breathing.
  • Call for help and keep your hands on the ice shelf.
  • Try to pull yourself up on the ice on your stomach and roll towards the shore, where the ice may be thicker.
  • If you can't get out of the water in less than 10 minutes, stop kicking and trying to pull yourself out, and anchor yourself to the ice shelf. Continue to call for help.

What to do if you witness a person falling through the ice

  • Stay back and call for help; call 9-1-1.
  • If the person does get out the water, on to the ice or shore, reach or throw an aid to the person such as a branch, or rope