| Ice
Safety
Now that the cold
weather and snow are here, those who enjoy being out on our
ice covered waterways should follow some basic safety rules:
- Always consider
ice covered waterways unsafe because many factors affect ice
thickness including: type of water, location, water
currents, daily changes in temperature, time of year and other
environmental factors
- Ice thickness should
be: 15 cm for walking, skiing or skating alone: 20 cm
for skating parties or group activities; 25 cm for snowmobiles
- The thinnest ice
is most often in the center of the water body
- Never go out
on the ice alone. Have your partner walk a good distance
away from you
- Slush on a
water body is dangerous. Sluch indicates the ice is no
longer freezing from the bottom
- If you are
heading out, remember to inform someone of your itinerary.
Bring a partner, avoid over crowding an area, dress appropriately
and watch your step. If you fall through, remain calm
and call for help. If you are able to get out of the water,
distribute your weight over as much of the ice surface as possible.
Seek warm shelter and change into dry clothes. In a situation
like this, act quickly and call 911 immediately.
T
|
