Ice rescue training

Video shows how the crew at Coast Guard Station Burlington Vermont, on Lake Champlain remains ready in all seasons for the moment they get a search and rescue call.

Summers bring sinking and disabled boats, while the winter brings ice fisherman, snowmobilers, ice skaters, and all-terrain vehicle riders testing the limits of the frozen lake. Whatever the conditions or circumstances, the crew has a way to respond to a call for help.

“We train several times a week,” said Petty Officer 1st Class Jason Balmer, an  ice rescue trainer at the station. “It’s important to be on top of your game — make sure you’re always ready all the time.”