Stay safe on Ice

Holland —

As temperatures plummet and water freezes, the Department of Natural Resources is warning anglers and anyone spending time outdoors to use caution when walking on or near ice.
National Weather Service meteorologist Wayne Hoepner said that typically, 4 inches thick is safe for walking on ice, while 5 to 6 inches is thick enough to support the weight of a snowmobile or ATV.
However, David VanSumeren, lieutenant with the Michigan DNR, said there’s no sure way to tell how thick ice is without drilling into it, and by that time you’re already standing on it.
“There’s generally no safe ice,” he said.
VanSumeren also noted ice thickness can vary from spot to spot. An area underneath your feet may be 5 inches thick, but just a few feet away may be drastically thinner.
Eric Bailey, DNR officer at Holland State Park, said beware of ice that has recently formed or re-frozen because it’s completely unpredictable.
“Each wave, each snowflake, they all change the aspect of the ice,” he said. “At any time that ice can shift and, climbing upon it, you’re taking the risk of injuring yourself or even dying out there.”
“Basically, you just have to be careful all the time because the ice also shifts,” Hoepner said. “Mainly big bodies like Lake Michigan, when you get out into the lake, even when the top of the lake is frozen, there’s still a current flowing underneath the ice.”
Also, the DNR warns that since there haven’t been very many consistent days of cold weather on the lakeshore, ice is especially dangerous right now because it’s freezing and thawing constantly.
The Michigan DNR offers a number of recommendations for those who go out on the ice, including:
• Travel in pairs whenever possible, and always let someone know where you are going and when you expect to return.

• Carry a spud, a tool for cutting ice, and test the thickness of the ice in front of you as you proceed.

• Avoid inlets and outlets, areas with natural springs, or anywhere structures, docks, pilings or timber extend through the surface of the ice.

• Pay attention to the wind direction, especially on large bodies of water, as ice can break off and float away.

• Wear a personal floatation device. The DNR also recommends carrying two nails attached to string. You can run the string through the sleeves of your coat, just like mom did with your mittens when you were young. The nails will give you a chance to gain hold of the edge of the ice should it break beneath you. A length of rope can come in handy, too.

• If you should fall in, try not to panic. Turn toward the direction you came from and try to get hold of the ice to slide out. Once you get out of the water, roll away from the open water until you hit solid ice.

• If you see someone fall through the ice, do not run out to them. Get a rope, pole or ladder and extend it to the victim, and take any exposure victim to the hospital for treatment.

Source:
http://www.hollandsentinel.com/news/...afe-on-the-ice