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| 3/28/2008 11:55:00 AM | Email this article • Print this article | Caution issued about thin ice
BESSEMER -- Gogebic County Sheriff Larry Sanders warns area residents of the dangers of thinning ice on lakes and rivers during this time of the year. He cautions people that ice must be five inches thick to hold the weight of a person and eight inches thick for snowmobiles and off-road vehicles.
"With temperatures fluctuating wildly, ice that was safe yesterday may be dangerous today," Sanders said.
"The biggest danger is hypothermia. If you fall through the ice and manage to climb out, you need to seek medical assistance quickly," Sanders said. "Wet clothing should be replaced immediately with warm, dry blankets, towels or clothes."
Sanders offers the following tips if you find yourself 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, then crawl on your belly to safer ice.
--If someone falls through the ice, do not run to the hole. Call 911 and then use a pole, branch, rope, or other long object in an attempt to reach the victim.
--If you fall through the ice, stay calm. Call out for help and kick your feet while getting hands and arms up onto safer ice. Ice picks or screwdrivers can help you get a grip on the ice. Continue to swim up onto
the ice until you can crawl or roll out onto the ice for safety.
--Pets that go out on ice are a major cause for many near drownings and deaths. If pets wander onto the ice, do not follow them. Stay where you are and coax the animals back to safety.
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Precipitation
(in inches, to 7 a.m.)
Thursday: none
July: 3.98
Snowfall
(in inches, to 7 a.m.)
09-10 season: 170.6
08-09 season: 188.9
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