A citizen on their jet ski rescued two kayakers from the St. Lawrence River last Friday after a Montreal fire department boat was unable to reach them, prompting new questions about the city\u2019s water-rescue capacity.<\/p>\n
It comes nearly five years after a Montreal firefighter drowned during a similar rescue operation on the river. That incident prompted a coroner to call for better training, equipment and co-ordination \u2014 and to recommend that the Montreal fire department acquire personal watercraft for such situations.<\/p>\n
In this case, the Montreal fire department received a call at 6:57 p.m. last Friday reporting two people in distress near Mud Pie Island (located southwest of Nuns\u2019 Island), according to a statement from division chief Martin Guilbault. Two women had reportedly capsized.<\/p>\n
Firefighters were immediately sent to the area, he said, but low water levels prevented their rescue boat from reaching the kayakers. <\/p>\n
As a result, the department requested that a smaller rescue vessel be brought to the scene.<\/p>\n
But as firefighters waited for it to arrive, the officer overseeing the operation accepted help from a nearby citizen on a personal watercraft, Guilbault said.<\/p>\n
The citizen reached the two kayakers by jet ski, and brought them to safety. The women were were taken into the care of Urgences-sant\u00e9.<\/p>\n
A community post on Facebook later described the rescue, praising the Verdun resident\u2019s \u201ccourage, fast action and incredible community spirit\u201d and saying a potential tragedy had been averted.<\/p>\n
The union representing Montreal firefighters stressed that the incident showed firefighters still did not have the appropriate equipment for such situations.<\/p>\n
\u201cThankfully, those citizens on personal watercraft were there, but it should not be their job,\u201d Marc-Andr\u00e9 Gosselin, treasurer of the Montreal Firefighters Association, said in a statement.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe City of Montreal has the coroner\u2019s recommendations in hand: How many victims will it take before it acts?\u201d<\/p>\n
In October 2021, Pierre Lacroix, a 30-year veteran of the fire department, drowned after a rescue boat carrying four firefighters capsized near the Lachine Rapids. The two boaters the firefighters had set out to rescue survived.<\/p>\n
A Quebec coroner later described Lacroix\u2019s death as an \u201cavoidable tragedy\u201d and issued 25 recommendations after finding serious shortcomings in training, equipment and co-ordination. Among them was a recommendation that the fire department acquire personal watercraft capable of reaching areas inaccessible to its larger boats.<\/p>\n
In 2023, the city said that it had created a committee to review its water-rescue training and ensure firefighters had the equipment and procedures needed to reduce risks.<\/p>\n
In his statement, Guilbault urged boaters and other recreational water users to wear personal flotation devices, prepare a trip plan and tell someone their route and expected return time.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe St. Lawrence River, as well as all other waterways, should never be underestimated,\u201d the department said. \u201cStrong currents, winds and rapidly changing weather conditions can pose significant risks.\u201d<\/p>\n
The City of Montreal did not respond to The Gazette\u2019s request for comment.<\/p>\n
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