As temperatures change, Winnipeg’s emergency responders are warning people to stay away from rivers and ponds as all the ice should be considered dangerous at this point in time.
Rivers and retention ponds may look like they have a solid ice cover, but there’s a lot going on underneath the ice that people can’t see. It’s an extremely dangerous hidden hazard.
It can be difficult for someone who falls through the ice to pull themselves to safety because there is the risk you could get trapped and sucked underneath because the river currents are still flowing. Hypothermia could then set in.
Venturing out on the ice also puts emergency crews at risk because they face falling through the ice and getting swept under the ice flows.
Parents are being urged to remind their children to stay away from the ice, and teachers are encouraged to bring the topic up in class. Pet owners should keep their pets leashed while near frozen waterways to prevent them from chasing something onto the thin ice.
If you spot someone on the ice, you should call 911 and have a detailed description of where you are and what you see. Try to stay on scene because you can tell emergency personnel what you have seen and where the person is on the ice so they can get them off as soon as possible.