First Responders Participate in Coordinated Ice Rescue Drill Near Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport

--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Several emergency agencies from the South Metro Water Rescue Workgroup will participate in the workgroup’s first ice rescue exercise today in Fort Snelling State Park. The South Metro Water Rescue Workgroup provides a learning environment for multi-jurisdictional, multi-discipline agencies along the Mississippi and Minnesota Rivers in the Twin Cities area. The group’s focus is to work together to learn the rivers and their surrounding bodies of water and how to operate tactically should an actual incident occur.

This exercise will simulate a response to a plane crash into icy Snelling Lake.

WHO:	South Metro Water Rescue Workgroup
	(A list of participating agencies is attached)
WHAT:	Simulated plane crash in Snelling Lake
WHERE:	Media staging near the Officer’s Club
	Fort Snelling State Park
	(The exercise itself will take place near the boat launch.)
WHEN:	9:30 a.m., Thursday, February 28
WHY:	For multiple agencies to learn how to work together to handle a large, multi-jurisdictional, ice rescue emergency.

Ice Rescue Exercise Participating Agencies

ALLINA HEALTH EMS

BURNSVILLE FIRE DEPARTMENT

DAKOTA COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE – WATER PATROL

DAKOTA COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS CENTER

EAGAN FIRE DEPARTMENT

HENNEPIN COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE – WATER PATROL

HENNEPIN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS CENTER

INVER GROVE HEIGHTS FIRE DEPARTMENT

METROPOLITAN AIRPORTS COMMISSION AIRPORT FIRE DEPARTMENT

METROPOLITAN AIRPORTS COMMISSION EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS CENTER

MINNEAPOLIS FIRE DEPARTMENT

SAINT PAUL FIRE DEPARTMENT

SOUTH METRO FIRE DEPARTMENT

UNITED STATES COAST GUARD

WASHINGTON COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE – WATER PATROL (ASSISTING WITH EXERCISE SAFETY)