What is the purpose of a throw bag in ice rescue?

• A. To decorate the rescue scene.
• B. To store spare gloves.
• C. To measure ice thickness.
• D. To deliver a floating line or rope to the victim for securement or towing, enabling rapid extraction while keeping rescuers safe.

Answer: (D)

The key idea here is that a throw bag is used to get a floating line to the victim so a secure tether can be established or the victim can be towed to safety, all while the rescuers stay on stable ground or solid ice. When you throw the bag, the buoyant line lands near or within reach of the person in the water or on the ice. The victim can grab the line and be secured to a harness or anchor, or the line can be used to tow them toward safety. This setup lets rescuers control the extraction distance and tension, reducing exposure to the hazard and enabling a rapid, safer pull to safety. The other options don’t fit because decorating the scene, storing gloves, or measuring ice thickness are not functions of a throw bag and are accomplished with other tools.