Over 200 members of the 41 Canadian Brigade group, part of the militia known as Task Force Grizzly, were out on (and in) a frozen lake in Yellowknife on Friday morning. They were there participating in an ice rescue exercise on the last leg of what was a two week mission for some.
The brigade was part of a larger mission known as Operation Nanook-Nuvailivut, made up of members of Joint Task Force North who travelled from Edmonton to Yellowknife as part of annual winter military operations. This year, the operation lasted longer than usual, extending for two weeks. The artillery aspect of the mission went its furthest north yet.
Major Doyle, who is from Calgary, says that due to the military importance of the Arctic the army will have more troops coming north in the future to take part in the exercise
The mission brought hundreds of troops north, testing their survival skills to the core while running defence scenarios amid the extreme cold.
With windchill temperatures of about -30 degrees Celsius, the brigade members geared up for an ice rescue training on a frozen lake just outside of the city of Yellowknife.
Captain Inna Platonova explained that the mission was about building survival skills, putting people and equipment to the test in harsh Arctic conditions.
“They were outside 24/ 7, surviving in tents,” said Platanova.
“Also making sure that the equipment that they use (for training) is working” added Platonova.
Over the period the troops were on the mission, members of a Canadian Ranger control group accompanied them as they conducted patrols on land and water in snowshoes and on skis.
The tactical component of the exercise called for the troops to run defence scenarios at the Edzo airfield with simulated enemy forces contact. They also conducted a rescue and evacuation of casualties with a helicopter. They practiced different security and defence scenarios.
Corporal Rudelich, who is from Edmonton, has been taking part in the training for a week. His brigade arrived in Yellowknife about one week ago, during the first of a number of extreme cold periods that saw – 50 degrees Celsius temperatures.
“For the first couple days, it was the acclimatization, getting used to the cold. And then after that, we get into the defensive portion and observation, basically just rehearsing maintaining that presence here,” said Rudelich.
Lieutenant Colonel Bryn Wright is from Edmonton and he is the commander of a unit whose soldiers are based in Yellowknife. Colonel Wright explained that in taking part in the ice rescue, the brigade members were pursuing the final objective of the mission.
He said the reason why the ice rescue was needed has to do with the natural terrain of the region and the common risks associated with that.
“Because when you work up here, there’s a lot of water bodies. And as we travel on foot or on ski doo it’s very common that sometimes the ice is a little thin and we go through and we’ve just got to know what it’s like, feel how it is and also know how to recover. And it’s all about part of the survivability piece,” said Wright.
Senior Medical Officer Dr. Monique Williams, who is with the Edmonton crew, said the troops who came in from the south hit the ground running, which is challenging because they are coming from temperatures of about -16 degrees Celcius. Arriving here, they faced more than double that degree of cold. This week in the Yellowknife area, where troops camped out and trained, an extreme cold alert was in effect with wind chill temperatures dipping down past -50 degrees Celcius.
“So we have people who are motivated to be here. We’re voluntary militaries so people want to be here and it really translates to the quality of work and the level of enthusiasm that you see with troops,” said Williams.
“We’re trying to do a large complex operation in a finite amount of time, under some pretty extreme weather conditions, but we have this really like beautifully adapted force,” added Williams.
Medical crews are on site and look out for certain high-risk symptoms in case there is a need to intervene.
“So anything to do with open water, you are always worried about drowning, hypoxemia and in this weather, you are worried about cold weather exposure so hypothermia and hypothermia events,” explained Williams.
Because underlying cardiac conditions are common in the general population and among troops as well, its also something the medical team keeps in mind.
“We’re always worried about a cardiac event and we’ve just done everything possible to make sure that we have resources in place to make sure that they come through it on the other side.”
Major Doyle explained that the training is now part of something called the “cold weather operator course.”
“Due to the importance of the Arctic, we are going to be having more and more people come up to do the operation Nanook and exercise,” said Doyle.
“So in order to set up people for success and to acclimatize and be ready for the realities of the North, we are doing a ‘through the ice training’ so that if it occurs on exercise, they know what to do, we do this in a controlled setting so that it gives them the confidence if it ever occurs,” added Doyle.
Those getting into the water for the arctic ice rescue training are jumping into waters that are just under freezing temperatures, inside the lake water exposed from the half metre thick layer of ice cut wide open. A rectangular polar dipping hole that is about the size of two average size cars sits on the surface of the frozen lake. The military leaders and trainers warn the troops that it is not safe to walk near the perimeter that has been marked by a line of tall branches and dead trees as the ice layer near the rectangular hole is at risk of cracking open under weight.
They have ropes tied onto them, which are anchored to a stable area of the campsite at the shore of the frozen lake. Once they are in the water, they are told they have 1 minute to get their breathing under control. They stay submerged in the frigid waters for a number of minutes, but for what must seem like ages, as the Major asks them questions to test their mental resilience, they are simultaneously pushed to their physical limits.
The brigade members have been trained not to jump but to “step” into the water with their arms elevated, to avoid being fully submerged in water. Many of the troops “forget” to follow the orders, jumping into the waters with the ferocity of a grizzly bear.
Lieutenant Colonel Bryn Wright and hundreds of troops including Private Silva take part in the training. After her time in the water is complete, Private Silva must pull herself out of the water using her arms. She is dressed in full gear, which has become heavier from being soaked in water. Cold steam rises quickly from every surface of her body, which is drenched in water. The frigid lake water on her skin and uniform is freezing as it hits the air.
Private Silva was able to pull herself out of the water in seconds and get back onto her feet.
There are times when the troops have to move quickly as a matter of survival.
Major Doyle says that the troops also had to learn to do things in a different way from what they are taught as military members.
“Everything is done slowly, which is hard for the military mindset to get into it, we tend to rush. The North has its own rhythm and we have to learn that rhythm to survive.”
 a frozen lake in Yellowknife on Friday morning. They were there participating in an ice rescue exercise on the last leg of what was a two week mission for some. The brigade was part of a larger mission known as Operation Nanook-Nuvailivut, made up of members of Joint Task Force North who travelled from Edmonton to Yellowknife as part of annual winter military operations. This year, the operation lasted longer than usual, extending for two weeks. The artillery aspect of the mission went its furthest north yet.){kind=link}