Bear River fire department launches new water rescue service

A new water rescue service is being offered to communitiesacross Nova Scotia's Digby County.

The Bear River fire department, located at the border between Annapolis and Digby counties, has secured a new boat that will be operated with trained staff to conduct rescue operationsin the area's lakes and rivers.

Fire department Chief David McCormick said the deaths of two men last year, whose bodies werefound after a boating incident in the Sissiboo Grand Lake area, inspired the creation of the rescue service.

"It givesto the communitythat extra sense of securityof having a water rescue team in our area," he said. "It saves an extra 20, 25 minutes from pulling a boat from Annapolis County that [gets to]somebody in the water a lot faster."

The Digbyfire department hasa boat, he said, but it is a larger one better suited forbasins.

Bear River's boatis smaller and more easily transportable through the narrow back roads in and aroundDigby County, he added.

After getting their hands on the vessel, the fire department decided to offer it up toother fire departments in the Digby County area with lakes intheir jurisdictions, McCormick said.

They haven't had any rescue calls yet, but are now in the process of training members of the department in water rescue operations. McCormick said the team is made up of not only members of his fire department, but also those in other departments whowish to be trained.

'Time is everything'

McCormick said the area's growing population means more people will be out in the water, increasing the possibilityof accidents.

"With people moving in fromother areas thelakes that haven't been used as much now are going to get used a lot more with the influx of the people that are coming to Nova Scotia," he said.

Ryan Marshall, a resident of Weymouth, N.S.,and a member of the village's volunteer fire department, said the addition of the new boat offers support to the large area around Annapolis and Digby counties.

"Time is everythingfor any type of rescues like these," Marshall said."Living in rural Nova Scotia, response times areso long foranyof the first responders."

Marshall added that community members have expressed "sincere gratitude" following theannouncement of the service.

"Our communityhad some great losses in the recent years," Marshall said, pointing to last year's boating incident. "Soit's well received."