Wantagh Firefighters Warn Neighbors: Stay Off Ice

From the Wantagh Fire Department:

January 31 2020

Even though winter temperatures have been warmer than normal thus far, history reminds us that we are not done yet and colder temperatures can return quickly. A few recent days of cold temperatures and the tragic deaths of two young people who drowned after falling through the ice of shallow ponds in New Jersey serve as a tragic example of how fast things can change and turn deadly. If the weather patterns continue as we have seen this winter we have had a few days of cold then warm periods and none of the many small ponds, lakes and streams in our area have become frozen sufficiently to allow for outdoor fun. If we were to get a few days of cold, children might be tempted to walk onto ice in order to skate or play hockey. Parents are asked to talk to their children about the dangers of walking on ice that may not be frozen thick enough to support their weight.

Although it often doesn’t take much time of sub-zero weather for the surface of non-running water to freeze, it does take many days for ice to become solid enough to support the weight of a person and especially several people. Some signs to look for when trying to determine how thick ice is are:

• If the ice is dark blue or black it should be safe.
• If the ice is white or grayish or mottled it is not safe.

Play it safe, STAY OFF THE ICE!

If you fall through the ice there are some things you should do to help your chances of survival.

• Try not to panic and tread water while calling for help. Put your arms onto the most solid section of ice you can find – likely the direction from which you came.
• Kick and pull. “Frog kick” and get your body horizontal. Continue to kick and try to pull yourself onto solid ice.
• If able to get onto solid ice roll or crawl to safety while keeping your weight spread out rather than standing and putting all of your weight in one spot which may cause you to fall through again.

It is also a good idea to keep dogs on a leash when walking near ice or partially frozen water. Dogs will often go onto the ice and may fall through causing their handlers to put themselves in danger to retrieve them.

The Wantagh FD is prepared to respond to an ice or water emergency with personnel trained in diving as well as ice-rescue. We have rapidly deployable water craft ready at all times in the event of an incident. In addition, we will be hosting a two-day Ice Rescue Training Course on February 8 and 9 with both classroom and “hands-on” training in order to not only train new personnel in rescue techniques, but also allow members to practice and improve readiness skills. Like much of the training we receive we hope to not have to ever use it, but stand ready to respond in the event of an emergency.

This press release was produced by the Wantagh Fire Department. The views expressed here are the author’s own.