How to stay safe around ice this winter

The Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office is warning people about thin ice. It says the biggest thing to do before going out on the ice is to make sure it is safe.

“If you’re gonna go out and test the ice, we want to make sure you have at least three points of contact,” said Bonneville County Deputy Sheriff Michael Vasquez. “What I mean by that is two feet and a hand down or two feet and if you get a stick, a walking stick, that way you can test it and you’re not, you’re just trying to disperse your weight across the ice.”

Ice at least 4 inches thick is safe to walk on. Ice 8-10 inches thick can hold a snowmobile or four-wheeler. Also, be sure to look at the type of ice. Different types can tell how safe it is.

“If we talk about clear ice, clear blue ice when you cut it, clear ice is safe ice,” Vasquez said. “Where it’s really foggy or smokey ice, where it’s got different layers and different freezing points, that’s unsafe ice. It’s just not strong.”

The sheriff’s office says to follow the 1/10/1 principle if you do fall in. You have one minute to catch your breath,10 minutes of viable muscle movement and then one hour of consciousness.

“If you can keep your head above water, it sounds kind of cruel, but the biggest thing we can tell you to do is if you’re in that situation put your arms out across the ice and try to have them freeze to the ice cause that will keep your head above water,” Vasquez said.

Once you are out, there are important steps to follow to avoid hypothermia.

“If you get wet, get those wet clothes off, get them warmed up,” Vasquez said. “And if people have been in the water and they’re starting to get hypothermia, don’t move them fast, really slow, get all their arms and legs in.”

The sheriff’s office says if your pet falls through the ice do not go in after it. Call 911. Let them know where you are and they will come help.

Several sports shops, such as Cabela’s and Sportsman’s Warehouse, have fishing reports that will tell you the ice thickness. Be sure to check those before going out.