GLADSTONE, Mich. (WZMQ) – Last winter was a mild one for the Upper Peninsula, leading to a high number of ice rescues on Little Bay de Noc. Ahead of the coming winter, first responders installed a new project in hopes of getting to those in danger more quickly.
“The winter was pretty busy for us,” said Masonville Township Fire Chief John Vandeville. “The ice changed so much with the cold to warm, cold to warm.”
Many who called for an ice rescue accessed the bay by one of two yellow gates—one along the Days River Pathway and the other just over a mile away. With two similar gates and no signs, Vandeville says it was often difficult to determine exactly where a caller was.
“When the page comes out to all of us in the county that are on Ice Rescue, we’re responding to a general location,” he explained. “Dispatch does the best they can to get us as close as possible to launch our airboats.”
To reduce those response times, departments on the county’s Ice Rescue team have made the access points more distinct. One of the yellow gates has been repainted red, and clear signage has been posted along the road and near the water.
“The Delta County fire chiefs got together and came up with the idea of maybe changing one of the gates to a different color, different name,” said Vandeville. “This way, Central Dispatch can ask the person, ‘Did you drive through a yellow gate? Did you drive through the red gate? Is the sign at the water a yellow gate or red gate?'”
Masonville Township Fire and EMS asked several organizations to help with the project, and they all eagerly agreed.
“Billerud paper mill, Northern Machining & Repair in Escanaba, they donated the money to help fund the signs and the paint,” Vandeville said. “The Road Commission donated the signposts, put the signs in on the road for us. Then we had SignUP Graphics, which helped with the cost of the signs. Pro Towing from Rapid River put the signs in.”
Ideally, first responders are hoping for strong ice on Little Bay de Noc this winter. In the event of a tragedy though, the boost in response time the project is designed could make all the difference for someone on the ice.
“At the end of the day, all of us in emergency response for Delta County are trying to make this place a little safer if we can for our residents and for people that vacation here in the winter,” said Vandeville. “That’s our goal, try to make it safer.”
First responders remind the public that conditions can change quickly on the ice and to always be cautious on Little Bay de Noc.
