If you find yourself on thin ice — or worse, falling through it — one local fire department now has the tools they need to come to the rescue.

Searsport Fire Chief Jim Dittmeier announced this week that the department was recently awarded a $2,500 matching grant by the Maine Municipal Association. The town pitched in a third of the funds to secure the grant, Dittmeier said, and it was enough for the fire department to purchase a rescue sled, ropes and floats.

“The sled is for a rescue person to bring out with them to get a person and the rope goes on the rescue person and the sled to pull them back in,” explained the chief. “The yellow floats go on the victim right away to keep them up while you get them hooked to the sled.”

Dittmeier said firefighters would begin training with the new equipment soon.

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