CARMEL- When is it safe to recreate on frozen bodies of water?
Two incidents last winter—one in Carmel and a second in Holmes—involving rescue personnel needed to assist individuals caught on thin ice has prompted Carmel Fire Department officials to share ice safety tips in the hope of preventing future incidents.
Carmel Fire Department Captain Thomas Keck created several ice thickness guidelines:
If the ice is less than four inches it is unsafe and keep off.
A four inch thickness is safe for skating or fishing while a five inch thickness supports ATVs and snowmobiles.
A thickness of eight to twelve inches is safe for small vehicles.
When it comes to ice color indicators officials say blue/clear ice is safe if the thickness is more than four inches while white ice is weaker due to air pockets and grey/black ice is unsafe.
Should someone fall through the ice, 9-1-1 should be called immediately while “Reach, Throw, Row, Go” should be employed to assist any victims.
Keck reminded the public that “cold water can quickly overwhelm even the strongest swimmers while wearing a life vest while on or near ice can save lives.”
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