Parks Department Warns New Yorkers: Stay Off The Ice

NEW YORK, NY — New York City is officially in the thick of winter. Cold snaps and snowstorms have hit the city since the beginning of the New Year and many of the city's natural bodies of water have responded by freezing over.

But even though the frozen waters paint a pretty picture, it's really more of a safety hazard, city officials announced this week. The city Parks Department and the New York City Fire Department warned New Yorkers of the dangers of frozen water Tuesday during the department's annual ice safety training session in Central Park.

"No matter how beautiful the ice may look, it can be extremely dangerous. That’s why we’re telling New Yorkers never to go out onto the ice without permission," Parks Commissioner Mitchell J. Silver said in a statement. "Be smart: Don’t risk your life for a selfie on the ice."

There are 96 ponds and lakes on city parkland across the five boroughs, city officials said.

A number of individuals — mostly teenagers — ignored the warnings in 2017 and ended up plunging into freezing cold waters. In one instance seven teens went through the ice at a Central Park pond, sending six to the hospital with hypothermia. The ice also proved dangerous in warmer months such as March, when three teens had to be rescued from Central Park waters in two days.

The FDNY recommends that park-goers never approach waters that appear frozen and that parents never leave children unwatched near frozen waters and that people should never try to rescue somebody from the ice by themselves. If you're on a frozen surface and hear cracking, the FDNY recommends lying down in order to distribute your weigh and prevent further breaking.

"For their safety, and the safety of all first responders who perform difficult rescue operations, I urge all New Yorkers to stay off of lakes, ponds, and waterways in our city that may appear to be frozen," Fire Commissioner Daniel A. Nigro said in a statement. "Though they look frozen solid, they are anything but. Venturing on them is dangerous and potentially deadly."

Photo courtesy NYC Parks/M. Pinckney