Latest news with #Pinawa
CTV News
11-08-2025
- General
- CTV News
Pinawa Fire Service rescues 5 ‘non-swimmers' from float channel
The Pinawa Fire and Rescue Service saved a group of people who were stranded in the community's float channel over the weekend. The fire department responded to the incident around 5 p.m. on Saturday after learning of the five adults in distress. When crews arrived at the scene, they learned the five people—who didn't know how to swim—ventured out onto the flat channel on inner tubes without any life jackets or paddles. According to Fire Chief Mike Purtill, the group quickly ended up in swift waters and realized they were in trouble. Though they managed to get to shore, they were unsure how to navigate the cliffs at the shoreline and couldn't get out of the water, prompting them to call 911. Once at the float channel, the fire service managed to bring the group to safety. No one was physically hurt during the incident, though the group spent about an hour in the water. Following the rescue, Purtill urges those wanting to use the float channel to come prepared with a plan and proper safety equipment or hire one of the businesses that run the float channel operations. 'This could've really went bad quickly,' he said. 'It's not swift water, but it's fast-moving water, and if you're a non-swimmer, it scares you.'
CTV News
11-08-2025
- General
- CTV News
Pinawa Fire Service rescues 5 ‘non-swimmers' from float channel
The Pinawa Fire and Rescue Service saved a group of people who were stranded in the community's float channel over the weekend. The fire department responded to the incident around 5 p.m. on Saturday after learning of the five adults in distress. When crews arrived at the scene, they learned the five people—who didn't know how to swim—ventured out onto the flat channel on inner tubes without any life jackets or paddles. According to Fire Chief Mike Purtill, the group quickly ended up in swift waters and realized they were in trouble. Though they managed to get to shore, they were unsure how to navigate the cliffs at the shoreline and couldn't get out of the water, prompting them to call 911. Once at the float channel, the fire service managed to bring the group to safety. No one was physically hurt during the incident, though the group spent about an hour in the water. Following the rescue, Purtill urges those wanting to use the float channel to come prepared with a plan and proper safety equipment or hire one of the businesses that run the float channel operations. 'This could've really went bad quickly,' he said. 'It's not swift water, but it's fast-moving water, and if you're a non-swimmer, it scares you.'
Yahoo
10-08-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Pinawa Fire Department rescues 5 from rapid waters at Pinawa Channel
The chief of a rural fire department is asking Manitobans to be prepared before heading out onto waterways, after five people had to be rescued from the Pinawa Channel on Saturday. "All water is dangerous, especially if you're a non-swimmer, and you have to respect it," Pinawa Fire & Rescue Service Chief Mike Purtill said on Sunday. According to Purtill, on Saturday Pinawa Fire & Rescue Service along with RCMP & EMS responded to a report of five adults stranded in the Pinawa Float Channel. He said the five, who were all related and all adults, ventured out onto the channel on tubes and quickly became overwhelmed by the speed of the current. Even more concerning, according to Purtill, was the fact that none of the five who were rescued knew how to swim, or were wearing floatation devices. "They were not prepared at all, no paddles, no life jackets," Purtill said. "And being non-swimmers, they were pretty concerned about their safety." According to Purtill, the group called 911, and fire crews were successfully reached the five stranded floaters, leading them to safety. "They're a family from Winnipeg that were coming to enjoy the day in Pinawa, and they didn't enjoy it so much, because they were stranded in the water which was fairly cool yesterday," he said. "It was cloudy and it was breezy and they were wet, so they were getting pretty cold by the time we got them out." He added he hopes to see fewer people headed out on waterways as unprepared as the five who were rescued Saturday, or it could lead to tragedy or possible fatalities. "People are not planning, or they do not have any respect for the water," he said. "They don't know how fast they can get into trouble and they're just ill-prepared. So if there was a message I wanted to get out, is that 'plan your day, have your life jackets handy.'" So far this year, Manitoba RCMP have issued public releases on seven drownings, including two incidents last weekend. Last Saturday, two men, one from Manitoba and one from Ontario, died after separate drowning incidents at Grand Beach Provincial Park and at Reynolds Ponds.
CBC
10-08-2025
- Climate
- CBC
Pinawa Fire Department rescues 5 from rapid waters at Pinawa Channel
The chief of a rural fire department is asking Manitobans to be prepared before heading out onto waterways, after five people had to be rescued from the Pinawa Channel on Saturday. "All water is dangerous, especially if you're a non-swimmer, and you have to respect it," Pinawa Fire & Rescue Service Chief Mike Purtill said on Sunday. According to Purtill, on Saturday Pinawa Fire & Rescue Service along with RCMP & EMS responded to a report of five adults stranded in the Pinawa Float Channel. He said the five, who were all related and all adults, ventured out onto the channel on tubes and quickly became overwhelmed by the speed of the current. Even more concerning, according to Purtill, was the fact that none of the five who were rescued knew how to swim, or were wearing floatation devices. "They were not prepared at all, no paddles, no life jackets," Purtill said. "And being non-swimmers, they were pretty concerned about their safety." According to Purtill, the group called 911, and fire crews were successfully reached the five stranded floaters, leading them to safety. "They're a family from Winnipeg that were coming to enjoy the day in Pinawa, and they didn't enjoy it so much, because they were stranded in the water which was fairly cool yesterday," he said. "It was cloudy and it was breezy and they were wet, so they were getting pretty cold by the time we got them out." He added he hopes to see fewer people headed out on waterways as unprepared as the five who were rescued Saturday, or it could lead to tragedy or possible fatalities. "People are not planning, or they do not have any respect for the water," he said. "They don't know how fast they can get into trouble and they're just ill-prepared. So if there was a message I wanted to get out, is that 'plan your day, have your life jackets handy.'" So far this year, Manitoba RCMP have issued public releases on seven drownings, including two incidents last weekend. Last Saturday, two men, one from Manitoba and one from Ontario, died after separate drowning incidents at Grand Beach Provincial Park and at Reynolds Ponds.
CTV News
27-05-2025
- CTV News
‘We're devastated': Family of drowning victim speaks
The family of a man who drowned earlier this month at Pinawa Dam is speaking out about his life and are looking for answers. Joseph Bernacki reports.
