BEMIDJI — After 122 people were rescued from Upper Red Lake last week when an ice floe broke free from shore, Beltrami County Sheriff Jason Riggs exercised his authority to restrict vehicle access on the lake Dec. 29.
Since Dec. 1, seven ice rescue incidents on Upper Red involved fishermen becoming stranded and breaking through the ice during this warm winter. Anglers on Upper Red Lake who may not be familiar with the area can find themselves on thin ice when they’re miles away from shore on the vast lake, according to Riggs.
“Our problem isn't with our local people up there, it's with the people that come from South Dakota, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and Minnetonka, because they just don't know the lake,” Riggs said during a Jan. 2 Beltrami County Board work session.
“There's no snow out there this year, so once they leave the shoreline and are on public water, they can pretty much go anywhere, and they typically are. And they're finding their way into troubled spots, and that's what we've been seeing."
Riggs also spoke about whether first responders should charge for search and rescue missions on Upper Red Lake.
"This comes up every few years, if we should be charging people monetarily for ice rescues — or any type of search and rescue for that matter — and as a public safety professional, I would be very cautious on that," he said.
The sheriff noted this approach could lead to a delay in an emergency response.
“If you have somebody that’s up there, thinking, ‘Oh, I could get in trouble’ or that ‘I’m not really in an emergency yet,’ but delaying so long that there is an emergency, or worse — they get hurt or killed, that would be on us,” Riggs added.
Ice rescues have taken place on Upper Red Lake every year, Riggs said, with some more extreme than others, depending on the weather.
The last time a similar vehicle restriction occurred on Upper Red Lake was in 2005, during the tenure of Beltrami County Sheriff Keith Winger.
The Red Lake DNR reported zero ice rescues this year on the locally fished Lower Red Lake, sovereignly held for the benefit of Red Lake tribal members.
Commissioner Tim Sumner — who represents the Upper Red Lake area as part of his district — said while he appreciates the economic benefit ice fishing brings to the county, safety must take priority.
“We're a poor county and our resources are limited, but they spend money, you know, and we're kind of dependent on the money that they spend,” Sumner said. “So it's difficult but I'm hopeful with this most recent [rescue] that folks understand and realize that there's more than risking a lot of folks’ lives for what, three walleye?”
Riggs also used his time before the board to commend the work of the volunteer Kelliher Fire and Rescue Department.
“Kelliher Fire and Rescue have been rock stars for us every year with these ice rescues. They’re our go-to, they’re trained, but they have limited equipment,” Riggs said.
“I don’t think there’s any reason why they shouldn’t be able to get some kind of state funding or grant for more equipment for this specific issue, and I will be an advocate for that.”
An ice assessment team with officials from the sheriff’s office, the Minnesota DNR, Kelliher Fire and Upper Red Lake resorts will be monitoring the ice conditions on a near-daily basis.
