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| Winter Safety |
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Will Your Winter Be Ice Smart?
Every winter Canadians die in ice-related incidents, and countless
others fall through the ice and have a close brush with death.
The LIFESAVING SOCIETY recommends these Ice Smart Safety Tips:
- Use designated ice surfaces.
Many communities have designated ponds for activities such as skating that are maintained by knowledgeable personnel. Designated ice should be regularly tested to ensure that it is thick enough and strong enough for recreational use.
- Measure ice thickness in several locations.
Local conditions such as currents and water depths can affect ice thickness. Consult knowledgeable local individuals. White ice has air or snow within it and should be considered suspect for recreational use. The recommended minimum ice thickness for new clear hard ice is:
3" (7cm) or less STAY OFF
4" (10cm) ice fishing, walking, cross country skiing
5" (12cm) one snowmobile or ATV
8"-12" (20-30cm) one car or small pickup
12"-15" (30-38cm) one medium truck (pickup or van)
- Avoid traveling on ice at night.
At night it is very difficult
to see open holes in the ice. This is a frequent cause of snowmobile
drownings.
- Never go onto ice alone.
A buddy may be able to rescue you or
go for help if you get into difficulty. Before you leave shore, tell someone
where you are going and expected time of return.
- Stay off river ice.
River currents can quickly change ice
thickness over night or between different parts of the river.
- Wear a snowmobile flotation suit or a lifejacket.
Wear a
lifejacket or PFD over your snowmobile suit or layered winter clothes to
increase your survival chances if you do go through the ice.
- Take safety equipment with you.
Include ice picks, ice staff,
rope, and a small personal safety kit in your pocket, which includes a
pocketknife, compass, whistle, fire starter kit and a cell phone.
- Avoid alcohol.
Alcohol impairs your judgment and speeds up the
development of hypothermia.
- If you drive on ice, have an escape plan.
Open your windows,
unlock your doors, and turn on your lights to allow you to quickly escape from
your vehicle.
- Always supervise children playing on or near ice.
Insist that
they wear a lifejacket/PFD or thermal protection buoyant suit.
To know more about ice, ice safety and ice rescue order the comprehensive
resource manual Ice: The Winter Killer.
Don't Try To Walk on Water (PDF)
Snowmobilers: Learn the Truth About Ice (PDF)
Kids Who Play on Frozen Rivers are Walking on Thin Ice (PDF)
Thin Ice and Cold Water - A Chill That Kills (PDF)
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