SAULT STE. MARIE — First responders were dispatched to the Soo Locks on Wednesday morning for what sounded like a serious construction accident — a 30-year-old man reportedly impaled on a piece of rebar while working on the New Lock project.
But it was only a drill.
The annual training exercise, conducted in coordination with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Sault Ste. Marie Fire Department and Kokosing Construction simulated a high-risk emergency requiring crews to carry equipment across two locks and respond deep within the New Lock construction site.
The goal was to test response time, coordination, and navigation through an evolving job site environment.
“The thing is, it’s a changing environment all the time,” said Capt. Kevin Mohar of the Sault Ste. Marie Fire Department. “There is always a difference in the construction site of what they are doing. So our entrances and exits will change throughout time. We work with their security officers so we know how we would be able to get into the rescue site or into their work site.”
Mohar said real-life calls to the locks area are rare but have included minor incidents and occasional issues related to vessel traffic.
Kokosing Construction, the lead contractor on the New Lock project, requires the rescue drill annually to ensure preparedness and safety for all personnel involved in the multi-year infrastructure effort.