Make Ice Safety a Priority in the Outdoors
By admin on Jan 8, 2012 in Uncategorized
Canadians are being reminded to be careful when dealing with ice.
Skating, playing hockey, fishing or snowmobiling can be a favorite part of winter, but the ice you find outdoors is not always trustworthy. Outdoor ice can be dangerous. Every year, Canadians fall through it, and some do not make it out.
“Winter sports and activities are part of the Canadian identity, and many of those involve going on outdoor ice,” Lifesaving Society CAO Barbara Kusyanto said. “When you’re recreating this year, ice fishing or snowmobiling, make sure you put safety first.”
It is important to test the ice thickness to ensure that it is thick enough and strong enough.
Recommendations for ice thickness are based on clear, blue ice. White ice has air or snow in it and cannot be trusted. Remember to measure ice thickness in several locations. Recommended minimum ice thickness for new, clear, hard ice is:
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?12″-15″ (30-38cm) – one medium truck (pickup or van)
The Lifesaving Society – Canada’s lifeguarding expert – is a charitable organization working to prevent drowning and water-related injury through its training programs, Water Smart public education, water-incident research, safety management services and lifesaving sport.
http://www.fairviewpost.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=3395583
