With the onset of low temperatures, ice up to 3-5 cm thick is forming on most water bodies in Belarus. However, it is strictly prohibited to go out on ice less than 7 cm thick, as it is dangerous. Currently, fluctuations in temperature and its variations are observed across the territory of the republic.

Stay informed:

- if the air temperature remains above 0 degrees for more than three days, the strength of the ice decreases by 25%;
- ice is considered unreliable near the mouths of rivers and tributaries, close to springs and drainage waters, near trees, bushes, and reeds;
- the strength of the ice can be determined visually: blue ice is strong, white ice has half the strength, matte white or yellowish ice is unreliable, dirty, brown-gray ice is usually already thawed and completely unreliable;
- a person can spend just 15 minutes in cold water, and it can end in the saddest way; at temperatures from minus 2 degrees to zero, a fatal outcome can occur even after ten minutes.

Potential victims of the ice are ice fishing enthusiasts and children. Parents must talk to their children about the dangers of playing on ice and teach them how to act. The safest option is for them not to go out on the ice at all, neither under adult supervision nor alone.

Winter fishing enthusiasts need to equip themselves properly - wear a life jacket or a special flotation suit, and take at least a minimal set of rescue equipment: a rope, a stick, a board, and "crampons". Avoid being on the ice in bad weather: fog, snow, rain, and at night.

Do not go out on the ice alone, but do not gather in groups on separate sections of the ice. When crossing a water body as a group, maintain a distance of at least five meters from each other. It is not recommended to make holes closer than 5-6 meters apart.

Before going out on the ice, ensure its strength by using well-trodden paths on the ice. In their absence, while standing on the shore, outline your route, take a strong long stick with you, and avoid suspicious areas. If typical signs of ice weakness appear: cracking, bending, water on the surface of the ice — immediately return to the shore. Walk with your legs spread wide, keeping them on the surface of the ice; if necessary, crawl. Never test the strength of the ice by kicking it.

If you fall through the ice, call for help, get out from the side where the ice is strongest, while crawling onto the ice with your chest, spreading your arms wide to increase the area of support and reduce pressure on the edge of the ice.

If you see a person who has fallen through the ice (in a hole), shout that you are going to help them; this will give them strength. If possible, as quickly as you can, inform rescuers by calling 101 or 112, and while waiting for professionals to arrive, try to assist the drowning person using improvised means, but do not approach the hole closer than 3-4 meters.