WILLISTON, N.D. (KXNET) — When it comes to our emergency services the training never stops. Ice on our lakes here in North Dakota is not uncommon, and knowing what to do if the ice breaks can be very important.

Public Safety Dive Services (PSDS) made its way to North Dakota to offer training to firefighters in our state — firefighters just like the ones in Epping.

Now with the ice beginning to thin and people being urged to stay off the ice, people don’t always listen.

“We always like to say you don’t know what you don’t know, and so oftentimes in ice rescue incidents the time we get the call is really the time the training happens so what we bring and instill in them are real-world real-life situations and circumstances,” says Bo Tibbetts, Owner of PSDS technical international.

The safety of our first responders is very important and for them to have this knowledge on the ice is crucial.

Situations happen where the ice can get weak and break and people are out on the lakes while it’s melting, things can get extremely dangerous and fast.. not only for the individual but for the first responder as well.

“Is not only about to save the victim that has fallen through the ice but its also protecting our rescue personnel, thetas going out on the ice, so these simple drills and the information that we are going to cover this weekend really take’s into account their safety as well as bringing our victims home for the best possible results,” says Tibbetts.

Tibbetts adds that those who take the training say it’s definitely necessary because first responders are the first ones to a scene.