Sheriff, fire chief worry more ice accident calls may happen

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Officials with the Jamestown Fire Department and the Stutsman County Sheriff’s Office are concerned about additional ice accident calls even as they tally the cost of the most recent search and recovery efforts.

Darrin Ackerman, 49, Jamestown, did not return from an ice fishing excursion on Dec. 4. His body was recovered on Dec. 12 after eight days of searching.

“I really have a bad feeling with the people driving on the ice,” said Jim Reuther, Jamestown fire chief. “This is the worst year for ice conditions. The wind and warm temperatures cause the ice conditions to change every day.”

Chad Kaiser, Stutsman County sheriff, reports seeing snowmobiles, all-terrain vehicles and cars on the ice.

“Some of them are out there next to open water,” he said.

Total expenditures for the search and recovery for Ackerman are estimated at about $20,000. The efforts also included numerous volunteer hours and supplies. The cost includes wages for some individuals as well as fuel and other costs.

Kaiser said his department expended about 500 man hours during the search and recovery of Ackerman. Much of the manpower came from the department’s special deputies. These individuals are volunteers and are not paid for their time.

Local businesses and individuals also assisted with the effort.

“We had a lot of donated foods and refreshments,” Reuther said. “This was really a joint effort by the community.”

Kaiser said the time and cost of future recoveries could be reduced if the Jamestown Fire Department dive squad could acquire its own ROV.

“Our own ROV would have saved a big hunk of the cost of the unit in this one incident,” he said. “It all depends on grant money. But grant funds are getting to be few and far between.”

The JFD has a grant of $25,000 that must be used by April 5. It needs about $45,000 more to purchase an ROV.

With or without an ROV, Kaiser and Reuther said this type of search must sometimes be made.

“It’s just one of the things that have to be done,” Reuther said. “It is unfortunate, but the main goal is to bring closure to the family.”

Sun reporter Keith Norman can be reached at 701-952-8452 or by email at knorman@jamestownsun.com

Tags: local news, news, ice, accidents, fishing