Great Barrington — Shortly after noon today, Great Barrington Police received multiple 911 calls reporting an ice fisherman had fallen through the ice on Lake Mansfield. Great Barrington Fire, Police, and Southern Berkshire Ambulance were immediately dispatched.
Police Officer Samuel Stolzar was the first on scene. He witnessed one male party in the water and two Good Samaritans dragging a canoe to the victim to try to execute a rescue. They both fell through the ice seconds later.
“My priority was to keep everyone else off the ice so we did not have additional victims,” said Stolzar.
The Great Barrington Fire Department arrived minutes later under command of Deputy Chief Ed McCormick. Rescuers were immediately deployed in ice rescue suites. The first victim was off the ice in seven minutes. The complete operation took 24 minutes.
“It was a challenge but everyone performed well,” said Deputy Chief Steve Hall, who coordinated the rescue. “We had multiple victims about 500 feet out on the lake. That required us to extend ropes and complicated communications.” Also, the canoe that bystanders attempted a rescue with was in the way and the ice was in terrible condition. Rescuers fell through multiple times even when they were distributing all their weight lying on the ice.
Peter Consolati, from Egremont, Mass., was identified as the ice fisherman who originally fell through the ice. He was severely hypothermic and was transported by Southern Berkshire Ambulance to Fairview Hospital. He was treated and released several hours later. Robert Avery, from Great Barrington, and Nicholas DeToro, from Oakland, Calif., were the bystanders who attempted the rescue. Both refused treatment on scene.
The Egremont Fire Department was requested for additional manpower and rescue equipment. “Everyone worked well together,” said Deputy Chief McCormick.
Great Barrington firefighters have been trained through the Massachusetts Fire Academy in technical rescue, including ice water rescue, and run multiple drills each winter. “I am very proud of the Great Barrington’s firefighters and the other agencies which assisted,” said Fire Chief Charles Burger. “Thankfully our training paid off and everyone is alive because of it.”
The Great Barrington Fire Department would like to remind everyone to remain off the ice. Due to the warm winter it is not safe. If you witness someone fall through the ice please call 911 and wait for rescue personnel to arrive.
