Ice safety

It is that time of year when many head out to enjoy Mother Nature’s natural playground, ice. But like any playground, we must remember to play safe. Below I have put together some important information, facts and safety tips for those heading out on the ice this season.

Ice Factors

Many factors affect ice thickness including: type of water, location, the time of year and other environmental factors such as:

• Water depth and size of body of water.
• Currents, tides and other moving water.
• Chemicals including salt.
• Fluctuations in water levels.
• Logs, rocks and docks absorbing heat from the sun.
• Changing air temperature.
• Shock waves from vehicles traveling on the ice.

Ice Colour

The colour of ice may be an indication of its strength.

• Clear blue ice is strongest.
• White opaque or snow ice is half as strong as blue ice. Opaque ice is formed by wet snow freezing on the ice.
• Grey ice is unsafe. The grayness indicates the presence of water.

Measure ice thickness in several locations.

Local conditions such as currents and water depths can affect ice thickness. Consult knowledgeable local individuals. White ice has air or snow within it and should be considered suspect for recreational use. 

Recommendations for ice thickness are based on clear, blue or green ice: 

• 3" (7cm) or less STAY OFF

• 4" (10cm) ice fishing, walking, cross country skiing
• 
5" (12cm) one snowmobile or ATV

• 8"-12" (20-30cm) one car or small pickup truck
• 
12"-15" (30-38cm) one medium truck (pickup or van)

Check with local authorities before heading out. Avoid going out on ice at night.

The LIFESAVING SOCIETY recommends these Ice Smart Safety Tips:

• If you drive on ice, have an escape plan. 
Open your windows, unlock your doors, and turn on your lights to allow you to quickly escape from your vehicle.
• Have an emergency plan. 
Plan and practice what to do if someone falls through the ice.
• Always supervise children playing on or near ice. 
Insist that they wear a lifejacket/PFD or thermal protection buoyant suit.
• Use designated ice surfaces. 
Many communities have designated ponds for activities such as skating that are maintained by knowledgeable personnel. Designated ice should be regularly tested to ensure that it is thick enough and strong enough for recreational use. 
• Avoid traveling on ice at night. 
At night it is very difficult to see open holes in the ice. This is a frequent cause of snowmobile drownings.
• Never go onto ice alone. 
A buddy may be able to rescue you or go for help if you get into difficulty. Before you leave shore, tell someone where you are going and expected time of return.
• Stay off river ice. 
River currents can quickly change ice thickness over night or between different parts of the river.
• Wear a snowmobile flotation suit or a lifejacket. 
Wear a lifejacket or PFD over your snowmobile suit or layered winter clothes to increase your survival chances if you do go through the ice.
• Take safety equipment with you. 
Include ice picks, ice staff, rope, and a small personal safety kit in your pocket, which includes a pocketknife, compass, whistle, fire starter kit and a cell phone.
• Avoid alcohol.
 Alcohol impairs your judgment and speeds up the development of hypothermia.
• Snowmobiles are dead weight on ice.
Take safety equipment including ice picks, ice staff, rope and a small personal safety kit in your pocket, which includes a pocketknife, compass, whistle, fire starter kit and a cell phone.

An educational video from the Discovery Channel (Canada) that teaches you what to do if you fall through the ice while fishing, skiing, etc.

Myths & Reality

Myth: Ice forms at the same thickness everywhere on a body of water.

Reality: Ice is rarely uniform in thickness. It can be a foot thick in one place and only an inch thick just 10 feet away.

Myth: Thick Ice is strong.

Reality: Even thick ice may be weak, especially if it has frozen and thawed repeatedly or if it contains layers of snow or water.

Myth: For the same thickness, all ice has the same strength.

Reality: Different types of ice have different strengths for the same thickness. Clear blue, black or green ice is strongest. 4”(10cm) of this ice should safely support 1 or 2 people. White or opaque ice should be at least twice as thick (8” or 20 cm) to safely support the same number of people.

Myth: Snow on top of ice makes it stronger and freeze faster.

Reality: Snow acts like an insulating blanket. The ice under the snow will be thinner and weaker. A new snowfall can also insulate, warm-up and melt existing ice. Ice with layers of snow may not support anyone.

Myth: Extreme cold means safe, thick ice.

Reality: A cold snap with very cold temperatures quickly weakens ice and can cause large cracks within half a day. A warm spell can take several days to weaken the ice

Myth: The better you swim, the better your chances of rescuing yourself if you fall through ice.

Reality: After as little as five minutes, cold water begins to rob you of your ability to move your limbs. This makes it very difficult for you to get out of the water, no matter how well you can swim!

Once ice starts to rot, the thickness of ice cannot be used to determine if the ice is safe.
The ice may look solid – but beware. Because of the way ice melts, the ice will dramatically weaken even as it retains much of its original thickness.

For more information on ice safety tips click the links below or visit our website at Kelowna.ca: www.lifesaving.bc.ca.
 

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.