The Canadian Red Cross has tips for people going out on the ice this winter.
Falling through ice while out on the water can be quite problematic and in some cases fatal. My Muskoka Now.com spoke with Chris Brown with the Canadian Red Cross to get some tips to get someone out of the water the best way possible.
Brown explains if you have fallen through, the first step is to try and calm yourself down. Brown says it is important to breathe and realize that you have time to get yourself out before hypothermia is a concern. After you have calmed down, Brown says the next step is to try and spread your arms as far out as you can on top of the ice. This gives you a wider base to try and get out.
To get out of the water Brown states that you should orientate yourself going back the direction you came from and try to wiggle and worm your way out of the water. Although you might feel the urge to stand up and try and run off of the ice, Brown says you should lay flat and spread your weight out as much as possible because standing could cause the ice to give out under you again.
If you are a bystander and you see someone go into the ice, Brown says that it may seem counter-intuitive to not try and get them, going on the ice yourself can put you at risk also. Brown emphasizes that if you see someone fall through try communicating with them and reassuring them to what you are doing to help them. As a witness to the situation, Brown says walking the person in the water through what you’re doing can help keep both parties calm until emergency services arrive.