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As ice begins to form on lakes, exercise extreme caution before venturing outFree Access




Round Lake had a cover of ice last weekend, however, it was definitely not safe to walk across. (Harbor Light photo/Charles O’Neill)

Round Lake had a cover of ice last weekend, however, it was definitely not safe to walk across. (Harbor Light photo/Charles O’Neill)

This winter came in snowy and early. And at first, it seemed that winter was here to stay. But then, the temperatures rose, the snow melted, and it felt like spring for a day or two again. These fluctuating temperatures are something to keep in mind as ice begins to form on area lakes.

“With temperatures fluctuating wildly, ice that was safe yesterday may be dangerous today,” Emmet County Sheriff Pete Wallin said. “Ice must be five inches thick to hold the weight of a person and eight inches thick for snowmobiles and off-road vehicles.”

Wallin offers a few tips for people who find themselves on thin ice.

“If you hear the ice crack, have your group spread out. Everyone should immediately lie down to distribute the weight on the ice more evenly, and then crawl on your belly to safer ice.”

If the ice doesn’t hold and someone goes through call 911.

“If someone falls through the ice, do not run to the hole, “ Wallin said. “Call 911 and then use a pole, branch, rope, or other long object to try and reach the victim.”

If going out on the ice regularly throughout the season, it is advisable to carry a tool like a screwdriver or ice pick, which can help give a person a grip if they fall through the ice.

“If you fall through the ice, try and stay calm,”Wallin said. “Call out for help and kick your feet while getting your hands and arms up onto safer ice. Ice picks and screwdrivers can help you get a grip on the ice. Continue to swim up on the ice until you can crawl or roll out onto the ice to safety.”

If a pet strays out onto the ice, it’s best to never follow them but instead try and coax them back to safety.

“Pets that go out on the ice are a major cause for many near-drowning deaths,” Wallin said.

As with a person who has fallen through, it is best to call for help first and then assess if there is a safe way to begin to help a pet or child who has fallen through the ice.

“The biggest danger is hypothermia,” Wallin said. “If you fall through the ice and manage to climb out, you need to seek medical assistance quickly.”

Harbor Springs Chief of Police Kyle Knight always worries about people venturing out onto the ice too soon in the season and continuing to go out too late at the end of the season.

“The last couple of years, I’ve been really worried about some of the ice fishers going out too early.” Knight said. “Please wait an extra week or two. The fish will still be there.”

And on the flip side, Knight asks that people be mindful of the changing temperatures at the end of the season and bring ice shanties in along with skipping that last ice fishing trip.

“The last year or two, I feel, that people have been taking some unnecessary risks by heading out too early and staying too late in the season.”

Knight agrees with Wallin’s ice safety tips.

“If someone falls through, the first thing to do is grab your phone and call 911,” Knight said. “And then proceed with what you feel is safe.”

Knight also suggested a rope, which can be used to throw to someone or can be tied to a tree and then oneself if it’s necessary to venture out and try and save someone. Knight suggested looking around for anything left on shore like a paddle board, small boat, or even a life jacket that can be tied to the end of the rope and thrown to the victim. But he cautions about trying any of these things without first calling 911.

“If you try and save someone yourself, you could end up in the same situation,” Knight said. “Hypothermia can set in very quickly, within a minute or two. If the ice was thin enough for that person to go through, it’s dangerous for you too.”

The U.S Coast Guard Charlevoix offered similar guidelines for ice safety but also suggests a more aggressive approach for anyone who ventures out on the ice.

The Coast Guard suggests wearing a life jacket and dressing in bright colors with some sort of reflective tape or patches in order to allow easier visibility should someone need to be located. They also suggest that anyone spending time on the ice should consider carrying a registered personal locator and safety devices like visual or sound producing devices that can be purchased in hand-held models. They, too, recommend carrying a screwdriver or ice pick, which can aid in getting stability to pull oneself out if they’ve fallen through the ice.

But the most important and basic safety tips are: Never go out on the ice alone; it’s best to use the buddy system. And, always tell family and friends where you are going and when you expect to be back. Then, don’t deviate from that plan without contacting someone.

The Coast Guard also urges pet owners to keep pets leashed when taking walks anywhere near lakes and bodies of water that freeze.

They urge everyone to use common sense and want to remind people who venture out on the ice that without proper knowledge of the ice thickness and stability, they are putting themselves in danger as well as the lives of first responders.

Ice conditions are most dangerous in the beginning of the season and the end of the season when weather conditions fluctuate most.

It is also important to remember that ice conditions will remain unstable when there is moving water underneath, which is something to think about in our area with natural springs feeding the lakes.