Sheriff’s Dive Team Trains for Thawing Ice Rescues

The Grand Traverse County Sheriff’s Office dive team held a specialized training session on Jan. 7 that simulated conditions created by fluctuating winter temperatures and thawing ice. Team members cut a working hole in the ice, swam beneath the surface toward a simulated victim location and practiced procedures to recover a diver in the event of a communications failure. The training is part of the team’s routine monthly regimen to maintain readiness across a range of winter conditions.

Lieutenant John Morgan described the exercises as designed to mirror increasingly unpredictable winters where warm temperatures and rain can quickly weaken ice. The unit also deployed its airboat during training to practice moving responders across unstable ice and open water, a capability that officials say is vital when sheet ice is thin or has open leads.

The session followed a recent drowning tragedy in Kalkaska County in which two people died after falling through thin ice. The Grand Traverse dive team assisted in recovery operations there, reinforcing the interconnected role county teams play in regional emergency response. That response, and the January training, underline both the operational demands placed on dive teams and the practical limits rescuers confront when ice conditions change rapidly.

For Grand Traverse County residents and visitors, the drills carry immediate implications for recreational use of lakes and rivers. Officials urged people to exercise caution before venturing onto ice, to inform others of their plans and to use appropriate safety measures. These reminders reflect persistent hazards during winter recreation and the need for clear personal planning and awareness.

Institutionally, the training raises policy questions for county and municipal leaders about public information campaigns, signage at access points, interagency coordination and ongoing investment in specialized equipment and training. Regular exercises demonstrate operational capability, but they also signal a need for preventive measures that reduce the demand for high-risk rescues.

The dive team’s monthly schedule of training is intended to keep skills current as winter patterns shift. For residents, the practical takeaway is the same as the training emphasis: changing weather can make ice deceptive, and caution, communication and appropriate equipment are essential for anyone planning ice-based activities.