Guymon Fire Department Trains Ice-Rescue Teams on Sunset Lake Over Several Mornings

Guymon firefighters spent several mornings training on Sunset Lake to rehearse ice-rescue techniques and to warn residents about deceptively thin ice. The Ice Rescue Team conducted repeated sessions over the past several mornings and “has been training all week,” preparing crews for cold-weather emergencies while police and park staff monitor the lake for people testing the ice.

Training Chief Scott Lathrop described the hands-on focus of the drills, saying, “In Ice Rescue, we practice using simple rescue tools, moveability in floatation devices, and the use of specialized rope systems,” and he noted that “while portions of the lake are frozen, our teams are able to see and feel first-hand what looks like solid ice.” Rescue crews practiced techniques from the water’s edge and then in the water while wearing thermal layered dry suits, giving personnel exposure to the rapid onset of cold and the difficulty of operating on deceptive surfaces.

The drills produced a real-world rescue: during a training session crews “even saved a dog that fell through the ice,” Fire Chief Grant Wadley said. Chief Wadley related how quickly freezing conditions set in: “By the time she got out of the water and came to shore, she already had a thick blanket of ice already developed and hardened onto her fur,” adding, “That tells you how cold it was when we were out there.” Wadley warned that “just because it looks like hardened ice, there’s several places on the lake here and probably ponds, and probably other city and community lakes around that the ice is not as stable as it looks,” and he cautioned that “people have the potential to fall through without notice.”

Public-safety agencies have amplified those warnings. The Guymon Police Department said it “received several complaints about people walking or playing on the ice” and urged residents: “We ask that you please refrain from walking or being on the ice at Sunset Lake, the ice is not going to withstand much weight and could crack,” adding, “If it cracks you could become submerged into freezing water and could be at risk for hypothermia.” The Guymon Fire Department, the Guymon Police Department, and the City Parks Department are “continually watching to make sure children and adults alike are not attempting to walk out of the ice at Sunset Lake,” and the fire department recommends keeping at least 10 feet away from the edge of any body of water with ice. Citizens are directed to call 911 if they see anyone on the ice and not to approach the ice themselves.

For local residents, the episode underscores both immediate personal risk and municipal capacity questions. Repeated calls for rescues and on-site monitoring consume time and resources that fire, police, and parks staff must allocate during extreme cold. Investing in regular, realistic training - as Guymon Fire Department is doing - improves readiness and may lower response times and medical risk, but the pattern of complaints suggests officials and property managers may need to evaluate preventive measures such as more visible signage, targeted patrols, or temporary access controls around Sunset Lake.

Training and rescues took place as recently as January 29, 2026, and officials say the hazard extends beyond Guymon. For residents, the immediate takeaway is practical: stay well back from icy shorelines, follow the fire department’s 10-foot guideline, and call 911 rather than attempting a rescue if someone is on the ice.