Huron County OPP host regional snowmobile operator training week

(HURON COUNTY, ON) - The Huron County OPP hosted a regional Motorized Snow Vehicle (MSV) training week for OPP officers, from Feb. 24-28.

Conditions were favourable this winter to schedule the five-day OPP course. As the 12 officer trainees from across the region descended on the Huron OPP detachment for training, mild temperatures threatened access to the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs (OFSC) trail system.

Luckily, sections of the OFSC trails remained open which allowed the officers to travel a total of 400-plus kilometres during the training.

OPP MSV instructors travelled from Eastern and Central Ontario regions to facilitate the training.

During the course, trainees completed complex machine maneuvering through circuits, trails, and varying terrain. They were also required to build a shelter in a wooded area, start a fire with small kits carried on their uniforms, change the snowmobile drive belts, and participate in the cold-water immersion experience.



The icy dip was a "shocker" for most but provided a better understanding of hypothermia and the need to carry proper life-saving equipment and clothing.



OPP provincial training is standardized and very thorough as officers may move from one region to another during their career. This training provides them with the basic skills and knowledge to operate MSVs safely during the course of their patrol duties.