Resources
Basic Ice Safety
Our Ice Rescue Technician course emphasizes that stress that “There’s no such thing as safe ice!”
With that in mind, if you must venture onto the ice, here are some very basic guidelines:
- Be sure it is new, clear, hard ice, at least 4” thick, without any air bubbles, snow covering, or moving water underneath.
- Before you go, be sure to carry a whistle to warn others of your distress should you fall through, as well as ice picks (small metal picks on a string that you wear around your neck or keep in your pocket) to help you escape and get back onto solid ice should this occur. These simple items are available for less than $15 at Canadian Tire across Canada.
- Consider wearing a life jacket or float coat of some kind whenever on surface ice.
- Should an animal fall through the ice, don’t attempt to rescue the animal yourself. Call 911 and wait for professional rescuers to arrive, who are trained and equipped for this type of incident. A large percentage of drownings are of people trying to rescue pets who have fallen into rivers or through the ice.
- Remember, the leading cause of death among snowmobilers ... is drowning! Contrary to widespread belief, speed is not a sure bet for crossing surface ice and can actually cause you to break through in many conditions.
- Finally, consider a two-day Ice Rescue course for $349, to learn more about operating safely on frozen bodies of water and how to rescue yourself if you break through.
Have a safe winter season!
