Going out onto the ice

[Drache]

During this time of year I'd like to remind people of the dangers of being out on the ice! If you do go out onto the Ice always remember to have safety gear and travel in pairs! And remember the 1-10-1 rule!

The first minute just stay calm and wait for the cold shock to disappear, trust me it will end, just wait for the calm to set in. Then you'll have about 10 minutes before your body becomes so numb you won't be able to save yourself, you won't have the strength to crawl out because your body will take all the blood from your extremities and pull it towards your internal organs to keep them alive for as long as possible . Then you have 1 hour before you pass out from Hypothermia.

Now 90% of the people never die from Hypothermia after falling through the ice, instead they pass out from it and drown. So what you want to do is get as much of your upper body out of water as you can and lay it out on the ice. Generally it will only be your arms and your head. It sounds bad but you want to freeze these to the ice so when you do pass out, you won't slip below the water and drown. My instructor actually found someone 6 HOURS after the person supposedly went into the water. His arms and face were frozen to the top of the ice but the guy lived. Granted frost bite took some chunks out of the guy but life before limb.

[Drache]

To get out of the ice within those first 10 minutes, first thing is be calm. Then you want to get out of the ice going back in the direction you came from! You know the ice supported you up until that point! Then you want to bend your arms and lay your elbows out wide. You want to ARMY CRAWL onto the ice and not try to pull yourself up like you would out of a pool. Then scissor kick your legs as fast and hard as you can and start army crawling. Just be aware that the ice might break a few times before you find thick enough ice. Do not be alarmed.

[4cruzin]

Remember to check the thickness of the ice prior to venturing out onto it! 

[RECHRGD]

Or stay on dry land...

[polywideblock]

 I'm so glad I live somewhere  were I have to travel to the mountains even in winter to see snow/ice    

[bull]

Or stay on dry land...

One of the best ways to avoid an untimely death is to avoid idiotic behavior.

[Lord Warlock]

One more reason to enjoy the sun and sand.  Course here we get to worry about heat stroke.  Stay safe on the ice, and keep the chargers off frozen lakes, take the chevy on ice fishing trips. 

[Paul G]

Excellent advice for survival. Walking on frozen lakes is very common. People who don't live in the frozen north would have no idea. Ice fishing is sport many enjoy, and snow mobile riding on frozen lakes. Even wind surfing.

The only ice I see now is in my freezer.