WFD Places More Ice Rescue Sticks at Westborough Lakes

"We don't recommend that anyone go out on the ice in an unsafe condition at all," Westborough Fire Lt. Ken Ward says.

That said, Westborough firefighters have placed four new devices -- two at Lake Chauncy, and one each at "small" Chauncy and Mill Pond -- that are meant "mostly for the lay person that sees someone go through the ice, that's close to shore," Ward says.

These ice rescue sticks are designed for someone on the shore to offer to a person who's fallen through the ice, he says. The victim can then grab it, helping stabilize them until firefighters arrive, he says.

Westborough firefighters doubled their ice rescue stick supply recently, Ward says.

The devices mostly were at Lake Chauncy during the four or five years that Westborough has had them, he says.

Now, the rescue sticks are at Minuteman Park, a number of places on Lake Chauncy, "small" Chauncy, and Mill Pond.

"We're covered pretty good throughout the town," Ward says.

Ward says the idea came from the Northbridge Fire Department, where he worked previously.

"Fortunately, we haven't had anyone use them yet," he says.