Swampscott Police Share Ice Safety Tips

SWAMPSCOTT, MA – If the ice is less than 2 inches, the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) warns to STAY OFF, in all caps. That's according to their tips, shared by Swampscott Police earlier this week.

Due to the unseasonably warm winter, MEMA and Swampscott Police are warning the public to be extra vigilant for thin ice on lakes, pond, streams, and rivers. MEMA shared the graphic pictured above as a guide for how thick ice needs to be to support different vehicles.

"Ice can be deceiving because it freezes and thaws at different rates and ice thickness can vary depending on currents, springs, depth, and debris in the water," said MEMA Director Kurt Schwartz in a press release. "Residents should skate on bodies of water only after there has been a prolonged freeze and steps have been taken to ensure the ice is sufficiently thick. Always remember, ‘when in doubt, don’t go out’ on the ice."

MEMA also issued the following ice safety tips:

• Parents should always closely watch and supervise their children.
• Never go onto ice alone.
• Always keep your pets on a leash (if a pet falls through the ice, do not attempt a rescue – call for help).
• Beware of ice covered with snow. Snow can insulate ice and keep it from freezing. It can also hide cracks as well as other weak spots.
• Ice formed over flowing water (including springs under the surface) is generally weaker than ice over still water.
• Ice seldom freezes or thaws at a uniform rate. It can be a foot thick in one spot and an inch thick in another.
• If a companion falls through the ice and you are unable to reach that person from shore, throw something to him or her (a rope, tree branch, even jumper cables from a car, etc.). If this does not work, go or phone for help. Get medical assistance for the victim immediately.
• If you fall in, try not to panic. Turn toward the direction you came from, and place your hands and arms on the unbroken surface, working forward by kicking your feet. Once the ice is solid enough to hold you, and you can pull yourself out, remain lying on the ice (do not stand; lying down spreads your weight across a wider area, lessening your weight on any one spot) and roll away from the hole. Crawl back the way you came, keeping your weight distributed, until you return to solid ice or ground.
• As the season progresses, plan accordingly and use caution, as the conditions of older ice greatly varies and is subject to rapid changes.

Image via MEMA