A number of Colorado’s favorite winter time activities center around it’s frozen lakes, ponds and rivers. Ice fishing, Ice Skating, Cross Country Skiing, Snowshoeing, Snowmobiling, Hunting and other activities bring many Colorado outdoor enthusiasts into direct contact with it’s frozen water sources.
Do you know when it’s safe to venture out onto the ice?
Many think they do, and yet each year we see the tragic results brought on by a lack of ice safety knowledge! Adults and children must possess a healthy respect of the dangers surrounding Colorado’s icy waterways. Every adult should know the basic ice safety rules. And for those venturing onto the ice, an additional working knowledge of what you should do if you or someone else falls through the ice.
Understanding the appearance of ice can help provide an idea of whether it’s safe to venture onto or not. Ice that is different colors, water on top of the ice, cracks, pressure ridges, open water and bubbles in the ice are signs of ice that you should avoid! You’ll also want to be very careful around ice that is covered with snow. Why? On one hand, snow is a great winter time insulator, preventing the ice from melting. However, in some cases, those same insulating properties can prevent the ice surface from freezing! If you come across snow covered ice, proceed with caution and make sure to follow all of the ice safety rules.
Here are some of the basic ice safety rules that you should always follow:
- Never go onto the ice alone. A buddy may be able to call for help if you fall in. Also, never attempt to walk out onto the ice to rescue your friend because you might also fall through the ice.
- Avoid alcoholic beverages. Alcohol increases your chance for hypothermia, which is the loss of body temperature, and increases the likelihood of hypothermia.
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Always wear a life jacket. Wear a life jacket or personal flotation device (PFD) over winter clothing. Life jackets can provide excellent flotation and protection from hypothermia. - Assemble a personal safety kit. Always wear a safety kit on your body when going out onto the ice. Safety kits should include an ice pick, rope and a whistle to call for help.
- Always keep your pets on a leash. Never allow your dog to run out onto the ice and never walk your dog near a frozen lake or pond without a leash. If your dog falls through the ice, do not attempt a rescue. Go for help.
- Reach-Throw-Go. If you can’t reach the person from shore, throw them a flotation device or a rope. If you still can’t help the person quickly - go for help.
What if you fall through the ice?
Don’t panic. Try to remain calm to conserve as much energy as possible. Try to get your arms onto the ice and kick as hard as you can with your feet to help lift you onto the ice, and then roll to safety. If you can’t get out of the cold water by yourself, take appropriate actions to extend your survival time while waiting to be rescued.- Do not swim. Swimming will cause your body to lose heat much faster than if you stay as still as possible.
- Act slowly and deliberately to conserve heat. Expect a progressive decrease in your strength and ability to move. Make the harder maneuvers at the beginning, while you can.
- Keep your upper body above water. Keep your head and upper body as far out of the water as reasonably possible to conserve body heat.
Parents, teach your children!
Parents, please instill in your children the knowledge necessary to keep them off the ice when you’re not present! We’ve all seen too many news reports detailing how a childhood tragedy was brought on by venturing out onto dangerous ice in order to retrieve a toy or pet!
Make sure your children understand these three points:
- Never try to retrieve a toy from off the ice
- Never chase a pet onto the ice
- If their pet or a person falls through the ice, they should never go onto the ice in an attempt to help! They should always seek assistance from a parent, policeman, fireman or other trustworthy adult.
No one can guarantee that ice is safe. The only true way to prevent falling through the ice is to stay off it! Of course that may not be practical since there are so many activities involving lakes and ponds in winter, however, those activities can still be fun and much safer if we take the time to educate ourselves and our families prior to heading out on our winter time Colorado outings!
Ice safety video
Here’s an informative video on basic ice safety created by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. It provides an excellent explanation of what everyone should know about safe activities on and around ice covered lakes, ponds and rivers.
| Article References: | |
| 1. Colorado State Parks | 2. Minnesota Department of Natural Resources |
