Leave it to the island’s hard working firefighters to hone their lifesaving skills while the rest of us huddle in warmer spaces. Firefighters in Ventnor, Margate and Atlantic City are using the horribly cold weather to practice their lifesaving skills on the icy waters of the bay.
On Monday, under the supervision of Capt. Bill Devenny and Lt. Vince Granese, Ventnor City Fire Department’s 3rd Platoon conducted cold water rescue training near the Doc Holland Boathouse in the Heights section of the city.
Commissioner of Public Works Lance Landgraf called them “dedicated professionals staying on top of their game.”
Atlantic City and Margate fire departments partnered in a joint training exercise Tuesday in the back bay off Thurlow Avenue in Margate.
"This was a great opportunity for both fire department’s to work together with the unique opportunity of having the bay frozen over to do this training," Margate Fire Chief Dan Adams said. "It was a great opportunity to learn from each other the proper way to initiate a successful rescue operation."
Both departments took advantage of the rare icy conditions to practice critical rescue techniques. They worked individually before conducting a coordinated rescue scenario to ensure safe and effective operations.
The departments planned to continue their practice sessions throughout the week so firefighters working different shifts could participate.
Ventnor took time to issue advisories for the public to stay off the ice. It might be tempting to take a historic walk or skate on the ice that you can tell your kids about, but the thickness of the ice could vary according to currents, daily rises in temperature and sunshine that could melt in spots. That could be very dangerous, and even cause a loss of life, not only for those who tempt it, but for firefighters who will have to respond to save a life.
“It is not safe to walk, skate or row on,” a Ventnor City Facebook post states. “Please stay off all bodies of ice to help keep yourself and our first responders safe.”
If you’re dreaming of the Winter Olympic Games and really want to go ice skating, take a drive down to Wildwood, where you can skate on the flat, wide, frozen beach in front of the Convention Center.
This weekend’s forecast promises more of the same – a dusting to 1-inch of snow Friday night, followed by extreme cold temperatures lasting through next week.
Copyright Fideri News Network 2026
