Lethbridge fire and emergency services water rescue team training beneath the High Level bridge

The Lethbridge Fire and Emergency Services water rescue team was training Wednesday at a difficult rescue location—underneath the High Level bridge.

Specially trained first responders spent much of Wednesday morning training alongside and even climbing the High Level bridge.

Fast water, steep terrain and railway infrastructure make any emergency here especially dangerous.

“We’ve got both the water rescue and the high angle rescue or the rope rescue team out here,” said LFES training division deputy chief, Wes Borland.

“So they’re working together,” Borland said. “A lot of the members are on both teams, so it works out really well. And it’s just a chance to get out on the CPKC bridge.”

The training is done in conjunction with CPKC, who own and operate the rail track.

LFES needs to get permission just to train on the bridge.

The co-operation between the two helps ensure first responders are prepared.

“Some of the members have probably never been on this bridge, so it’s a good chance for them to get familiar with it. It’s kind of like, a preplan for our fires. So, we go out, we scope it out. They’ve been working on this for a couple of weeks,” said Borland.

It was more than just a training exercise.

LFES personnel also took the time to remove ropes that had been hung up so people could jump into the water.

“They don’t understand the dangers here. This bridge is the property of CPKC and it is private property. So, for individuals who are entering or climbing on that bridge, they’re actually trespassing. We don’t want that, it’s unsafe,” said fire chief, Greg Adair.

It’s an especially dangerous area to swim.

Below the water is barbed wire, concrete with exposed rebar, large rocks and tree debris.

LFES works to clear out as much as they can but the best advice is to avoid swimming under the bridge.

“It’s a very inviting river, but this is not a playground. This is a very dangerous spot within the river, with all the hazards you see around us and what you can’t see below. We asked people to stay away from this area. It is not a safe area,” said Adair.