WOOD RIVER — Madison County Emergency Management Agency wants to remind the public about the dangers of playing on ponds and lakes this winter.
EMA Director Fred Patterson said police and fire departments throughout the county have received phone calls about children playing on the ice of ponds, including retention ponds. He said in hopes of avoiding water rescue emergencies and fatalities this winter, emergency officials want to remind the public about the dangers.
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“The best way to stay safe is staying off the ice,” Patterson said. “It’s an important reminder for children to make sure they're not using retention ponds for hockey or playing or even walking across it.”
Retention ponds can have hidden dangers. Often times they can have pumps and aerators circulating water, causing water levels to vary, also weakening the ice.
Also the change in temperatures from freezing to above freezing creates thinning of the ice as some areas start to melt.
Patterson said beside the possibility of drowning, which cold water can cause the body to lose heat 25 times faster than air and leads to loss of motor function other dangers include hypothermia and frostbite.
He said for anyone who does fall through ice they should:
- Remain calm
- Face the direction they came from
- Spread their arms out on the unbroken ice
- Kick their feet and try to pull themselves onto the ice
- Once out of the water, lie on the ice to distribute their weight
- Roll away from the hole and crawl back to solid land
Patterson said to call 911 if you see someone who has fallen through the ice and to take every available precaution to protect yourself in this situation.
"Even if you fall through the ice, and you're able to get out or someone gets you out, you still need to call 911 and have emergency personnel respond,” he said. “Hypothermia is a real issue, and someone can end up having long-term effects from it."
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