Following the death of a youngster who fell through ice at Crystal Lake Park in Roxborough last week, North Metro Fire officials are asking parents to caution kids against playing on frozen water bodies.
When winter weather causes lakes and ponds to freeze over, people sometimes mistakenly think the ice cover provides suitable traction, North Metro spokesperson Sara Farris explained.
“The general rule in our community is that no body of water is safe to be on because we have way too many varying conditions and temperatures,” she said. “The problem is you really can't tell about the integrity of the ice.”
Although some sections may appear solid, often the thickness can greatly vary, Farris explained.
“Two feet one way or the other can make a big difference as to whether that ice can hold your weight or not,” she said. “Once it starts to give way you’re already in the danger zone.”
In addition to children, keeping pets away from ice covered waters is also crucial, Farris said.
“We respond to several calls each year of a dog that's fallen through the ice,” she noted.
“The owner a lot of times panics and tries to go out there to rescue their animals without thinking.”
Regardless if human or animal, North Metro treats all ice rescues with the utmost seriousness.
“We love our pets and we respond just as quickly regardless of the nature of the rescue,” she said. “We know that they’re family members too.”
The best advice is to call 911 to get help if you witness a person or an animal go through the ice, Farris said.
If someone does plunge into freezing waters while walking on ice it’s crucial for them to remain calm and, if possible, to raise their arms up to hold onto the ice shelf to avoid drowning.
“Encourage the victim to help rescue themselves by using their elbows to crawl on the ice while keeping their body horizontal and kicking to propel them out of the water,” she said. “That’s the best thing you can do until help can arrive.”
After contacting first responders, bystanders can attempt to pull the person ashore if a rope or suitable object is available.
“They can attempt to do that as long as they are maintaining their safety onshore and have a good anchor so they don't get pulled into the water too,” she said.
If the person becomes submerged, witnesses are advised to use shore line markers to aid in triangulating the location of the victim.
“There are situations where the person does lose consciousness and goes under the water,” she said. “It’s important that the bystanders provide first responders with the best information as to where that person was located if they're not visible.”
If witnesses are able to pull victims out of the water, first steps should include removing wet clothing and wrapping them in blankets until paramedics arrive.
To learn more visit online to review Ice Safety tips from North Metro.
