More "Dumb!"

Today's Presque Isle County Advance, the local weekly, carried this story under Sheriff's Report:

"Presque Isle County central dispatch received a 9-1-1 call of a man through the ice Saturday [Jan. 7] at 1:22 p.m.  Emergency personnel were dispatched to Brother's Bay in northern Long Lake.  Kevin Przybyla of Presque Isle went through the ice on an argo, an amphibious all-terrain vehicle, with his 15-year-old daughter.

An argo.

"Assisting the sheriff's department were the East Grand Lake Fire Department, who responded with their hovercraft, Presque Isle Fire Department and their first responders, as well as Alpena Ambulance.  The Maple Ridge Fire Department also was asked to respond with a second hovercraft.

"Przybyla and his daughter were off the ice by 2 p.m.  An Alpena towing company used a cable to remove the argo.  All emergency crew were clear at 6:31 p.m.  People are advised to stay off the ice until conditions improve, because it can put emergency personnel in dangerous situations such as this one."

My post yesterday was incorrect: the incident occurred on Long Lake, not Grand Lake.  Long Lake skirts US-23 between Presque Isle and Alpena.

However, the point at the end of the news story is important.  At various times the three fire departments had several of their people in the water trying to secure the ATV.  If the vehicle had sunk, emergency personnel might have been dragged under.  We don't often think about the risks first responders take on our behalf.  For instance, while you and I are trained to run out of a burning building, firefighters are trained to run in.  They put their own safety at risk to ensure our safety.  To see these people, mostly volunteers, placed in a risky situation because someone does something dumb is profoundly unhelpful.

The forecast is for 5-7 inches of snow today and tonight.  Maybe we're finally going to get some winter weather! •••