Real life ice diving SARR training means treating the ice as if it were weak enough to let a dog or child fall through.  If we’re called to a scene that means the ice is bad. This means no walking, sitting, or kneeling on the ice.

It means getting the primary diver/tender and backup diver/tender with a 90% diver staged on the sled ready to be pulled to the hole by shore if necessary using thin ice procedures and techniques. 

Tenders need ice technician-level training and proper personal protective equipment (PPPE) since it’s likely they will end up immersed.

Communication between tenders and shore personnel are critical for a variety of reasons such as;

• documenting diver down times
• psi
• designated area diving (DAD)
• locations to the hole
• breathing rates etc.

See Ice Diving Operations, Fire Engineering, by Hendrick and Zaferes