TASKING: RECOVERY AND REWARMING OF BOOT CAMPERS.

The Town of Georgina is located approximately 45 minutes north of Toronto on the south shores of beautiful Lake Simcoe. The citizens of Georgina are protected by a composite fire department operating out of three fire stations.

Georgina Fire Department is comprised of the Fire Chief, Deputy Fire Chief, an Administrative Assistant, a full time Training Officer, a full time Fire Prevention Officer and two Fire Inspector/Public Educators, 32 full time suppression staff and 45 volunteer firefighters.

Providing a wide variety of services to the residents of Georgina and its many visitors, the Georgina Fire Department services include fire prevention and public education, fire suppression, and a variety of specialty rescues including auto extrication, hazardous material response, tiered medical response, and cold water/ice rescue.

Lake Simcoe can be a treacherous lake especially during the shoulder and winter seasons when it starts to freeze up, throughout the winter and as the ice recedes. Operating a 17 foot Husky Airboat for the past 19 years, the Georgina Fire Department is on standby to respond to emergency calls and calls for assistance on Lake Simcoe during that period. Calls for help range in nature from assisting with searches for missing persons, rescuing stranded persons, attending at snow machine or ATV accidents and persons that have fallen through the ice.

Because of the nature of the different calls firefighters respond to on Lake Simcoe during the winter months, they are trained in recognizing the signs and circumstances leading up to hypothermia caused by cold water immersion and are trained to provide the appropriate level of care.