Innisfil, Barrie firefighters rescue angler from ice floe on Lake Simcoe

A fishing trip on a windy day turned into a harrowing ice rescue near the northeastern tip of Innisfil.

On Friday at about 12:30 p.m., Innisfil Fire and Rescue Services crews were called to an area of Lake Simcoe near the 30th Sideroad, just off Big Bay Point, after a “lone male” became trapped on an ice floe roughly 450 metres from shore. 

“When he walked out, there was ice at the shoreline,” Innisfil Deputy Fire Chief Brent Black said. “He walked out with a sled carrying his fishing equipment.

"While out fishing, the wind picked up and broke the ice up, resulting (in) him being on an ice floe separated from shore by open water.”

As Innisfil firefighters strapped on gear and prepared to go out onto the water with their Fortuna boat, they requested assistance from Barrie Fire and Emergency Service, which has a hovercraft, due to the large amount of open water. 

“Our crews made contact with the fisherman, who was uninjured and dry. He then accessed our Fortuna boat and they waited for the arrival of Barrie Fire as they were at this time close by,” Black said.

“Once Barrie Fire arrived on scene, the patient then went with them in the hovercraft," he added. "They then brought him back to shore at the 30th Sideroad government dock." 

County of Simcoe paramedics were waiting at the shoreline, but the man refused medical attention.  

“He was at no point submerged in the open water; he remained on the ice shelf and was safe,” Black said. “Our crews then paddled back to shore in our Fortuna and began the clean up of our equipment.”