Hanover Firefighters Get $10K Grant for Ice Rescue Gear

When someone falls through ice, the people who try to help often become victims themselves. Now one Indiana fire department has the equipment to change that outcome.

The Hanover Township Volunteer Fire Department received a $10,000 grant from the Community Foundation of Madison and Jefferson County for ice rescue equipment. The money purchased a Rapid Deployment Craft and five specialized ice rescue suits.

Before this equipment arrived, firefighters would have faced frozen ponds with little more than canoes and paddles. According to federal safety data, 60% of victims in cold water incidents are actually the people attempting rescue.

The numbers paint a grim picture: one person falls through ice, and two or three rush to help without proper gear. Instead of saving one life, suddenly four people need rescuing.

The new equipment changes everything. The rescue suits provide both insulation and flotation, keeping firefighters safe while they work. The Rapid Deployment Craft surrounds rescuers in an ultra-buoyant inflated perimeter that glides across ice, broken ice, and open water.

Cory Thomas, training officer and second assistant chief, led the team through practice drills on a frozen pond at Butler Falls Golf Course. Even in below-freezing temperatures, the firefighters trained until they felt confident with the new gear.

Why This Inspires

These volunteer firefighters could have waited until tragedy struck to request funding. Instead, they planned ahead and secured the resources their community might desperately need. They're now spending cold winter evenings training on frozen ponds, preparing for an emergency they hope never comes.

Firefighter Paul Taflinger summed up their approach perfectly: "Prepare for the worst, pray for the best." His team spends significant money and time getting ready for rescues they may never perform. But if the call comes, they'll be ready to bring someone home safely.

The grant represents more than just equipment. It's a community investing in the safety of its neighbors and the volunteers who protect them. When winter ice looks tempting but dangerous, Hanover Township now has a team trained and equipped to handle the worst-case scenario.