Ice on water bodies
To prevent accidents and incidents on winter water bodies, rescuers recommend following safety rules.
Stepping onto the ice always carries significant risk and poses a serious danger to life. A person who falls into the water may die not only from drowning but also from hypothermia, which can occur within just 10 minutes of immersion in cold water.
Therefore, it is essential to know that stepping onto the ice cover during the formation of ice is only possible when its thickness reaches at least 7 centimeters for one person and 12-15 centimeters for a group of people.
It is not recommended to step onto the ice if you are alone and there is no one within sight who could come to help, as well as during a snowstorm and at night. When moving on the ice cover, one should be cautious, carefully monitor its surface, and avoid dangerous and suspicious areas: depressions of streams, outflows of groundwater and springs, discharges of industrial and wastewater, and frozen bushes of sedge and grass. Do not step onto the surface of the water body if it is loose or if water is visible in places.
It is also prohibited to gather on the ice in large groups, and when crossing a water body, maintain a distance of 5-6 meters from each other. The strength of the ice is checked not by kicking it but with a sturdy stick. If the ice beneath you becomes thinner and starts to crack, carefully retreat along your own path to the shore with sliding steps, keeping your feet on the ice and spaced shoulder-width apart. Do not run on the ice – this may provoke a rapid fracture of the surface.
Fishermen are advised to go onto the ice wearing life jackets. For safety reasons, it is necessary to carry a rope, one end of which is attached to a weight, while the other end with a loop is secured to the waist. In case of falling through the ice, this device will help the fisherman stay afloat longer, and rescuers to pull him out of the hole more quickly. While fishing from the ice cover, fishermen are prohibited from drilling holes less than 1 meter apart. After fishing, the holes should be marked with stakes that are clearly visible on the ice cover.
To help a person who has fallen through the ice, throw them a belt, scarf, or stick, approaching the hole at a distance of 3-4 meters. You can only approach the hole by crawling. Assistance to the victim should be provided as quickly as possible, as a person who has fallen through the ice is at risk of hypothermia. To warm the victim, it is necessary to remove their wet clothing, rub their body, and provide dry clothes and hot drinks.
Children are prohibited from stepping onto the ice cover without adult supervision. To avoid tragic consequences, parents and those responsible for the upbringing of children must conduct explanatory conversations about adhering to safe behavior rules on the ice and near water bodies. View All