Which device helps keep the victim drier and allows a faster return to shore during an ice rescue?

• A. An Ice Rescue Sled
• B. A Rescue Rope
• C. A Buoy
• D. A Flotation Suit

Answer: (A)

In ice rescue, the aim is to get the victim out of the water quickly while keeping them as dry as possible and moving efficiently to shore. The ice rescue sled fits this purpose best because it provides a rigid, buoyant platform on which the victim can be placed and transported. This keeps the body away from the water, reducing soaking and heat loss, which is crucial for survival in cold water conditions.

Transporting a victim on a sled also makes the haul more efficient. A sled can be towed across the ice with a line, letting rescuers pull the load rather than lifting or carrying, which speeds the return to shore and reduces fatigue. Other devices don’t offer the same combination of a dry transport surface and efficient, short-haul movement: a rescue rope helps secure and tow but doesn’t provide a dry platform; a buoy keeps the victim afloat but doesn’t facilitate rapid, dry transport across ice; a flotation suit protects the rescuer (and can aid the victim’s warmth) but doesn’t optimize the actual transport back to shore.