Guarding Kempenfelt Bay is a year-round job, and between the Barrie police and tne city fire department, it's under control.
Barrie police assumed the responsibility of monitoring Kempenfelt Bay on April 27, taking over from Barrie Fire and Emergency Services who start the job in mid-November.
With two boats and five marine operators, police communications co-ordinator Peter Leon said the team is more than ready for anything that should happen in the bay.
“We deal with Kempenfelt Bay and it is a very busy portion of Lake Simcoe,” said Leon. “The OPP has a portion of the lake, South Simcoe has theirs and York Region has a portion, but we deal primarily with the bay.
"Four police services, plus you may from time to time get the ministry of natural resources out there," he added. "So Lake Simcoe is a busy place.”
This past Wednesday when two women were stranded on a raft 150 metres off Centennial Beach with a storm dangerously approaching, quick-thinking Barrie police officers made a save along with some boaters at the Lakeshore Drive marina.
Officers headed to the lakeshore marina and received the help of citizens cooking on their boat.
At the time, the police marine unit was assisting in other incidents around the city, but Peter Leon said that is quite normal under the current health crisis.
“Because of the ongoing COVID-19, those marine unit officers are still available for general-duty responsibilities. They were assisting with other serious duties around the city and were on their way, but as one of the boaters said previously, it would have been too late," he said. ,
Leon added that, “once things get back to a sense of normalcy,” police will be actively promoting their presence to remind the public that they are out there monitoring the waterways.
Responding to reports of impaired boaters and/or those not following the rules of the lake are just some of the calls police answer to. They’re also there to help with big events and crowd control.
“Last year during the Snowbirds airshow, we handled the bay as far as making sure boaters were out of the way; we do the same with firework displays,” said Leon.
With Kempenfelt Bay being a major attraction year-round, winter can also be full of hazards.
Barrie Fire assistant deputy chief Carrie Clark told BarrieToday that fire and police have a reciprocity agreement that sees police “handle water calls when the lake is liquid and Barrie Fire responds when it is frozen.”
With the fire department’s airboat able to cross icy waters, they are equipped to handle rescues that are needed while the bay’s popular winter events are occurring.
Barrie Fire can still be quite active by the lake this time of year. Clark said they may attend to handle shore-based rescue actions, while the police and their boat handle on the water rescues and safety.
“Our crews are cross trained to go on the police boat to assist if required as well,” said Clark. “The water is still so cold right now that hypothermia is still a risk as is the usual PFD (personal flotation device) discussion, safe boating rules and drinking and boating.”
