Safety on ice in the winter

As soon as winter comes, most children, and some adults, are eagerly waiting for ice to freeze on the ponds. This, of course, is a good opportunity to go ice-skating, go in for winter fishing, but do not forget about safety on ice during this period. We will get acquainted with the main rules in our article.

Ice formation

With the onset of frosty weather, you should not count on instant coverage of ponds with ice. This process is lengthy and depends on many factors. It usually begins in November and continues until the New Year. It all depends on weather conditions, which are different every year.

At a low temperature at night, ice forms, but under the rays of the sun during the day it begins to become porous from the water that seeps through it. At the same time, the thickness may already be decent, but it cannot be called reliable, therefore it is important to observe safety measures on ice.

Usually freezing of water bodies occurs unequally throughout the area, first of all, freezing begins in shallow water, along the banks, and then ice fetters the middle. In various water bodies, this process proceeds at different speeds, for example, ice forms more slowly on rivers, since the flow interferes with this process. Even in the same body of water in different parts of the ice can be uneven thickness.

Saving life on ice

Almost every year there are situations when the most impatient lovers of winter fishing or ice skating find themselves in a dangerous position, finding themselves in icy water. And all because the thickness of the ice is not taken into account.

Such lovers first of all need to study the safety measures on ice in the winter, and only then go to the pond. The most important rule: not sure about the strength of ice - do not step on it. Sometimes a person begins to understand his mistake, already finding himself on thin ice, in this case, you must try to follow their own tracks carefully back.

It makes it difficult to assess the strength of the ice snow that lies on top. When moving, you may not see that the cracks have started, but you cannot hear the crunch, so when it appears, you should stop moving and come back.

Safe ice

No safety precautions on ice will help if it is not thick enough. The ice cover must withstand the load that will act on it.

1. In order for one person to safely cross a frozen reservoir, the thickness of the ice along the route should be at least 7 centimeters.
2. The roller can only be arranged if the layer thickness is about 12 centimeters.
   
3. You can cross the group only on ice with a thickness of 15 centimeters.
4. And the movement of cars will be safe with a thickness of at least 30 centimeters.

Even if you are sure that the pond is well frozen, safety measures on ice in the winter will not be superfluous.

Treacherous ice

Experts, even by the appearance of ice, can determine its reliability. More dangerous, and, therefore, thin is considered ice yellowish or dull white. Most often it has a porous structure, so it cannot be considered reliable.

You need to know: if for several days the temperature does not fall below zero degrees, the strength is reduced by 25%. The thinnest ice is even in frosty weather near thickets of reeds, shrubs or trees that grow along the banks.

Particular care must be taken near the ice hole - they can become completely invisible if they are slightly dusted with snow.

How to make sure the reliability of ice

To find out whether ice is strong or not is sometimes possible only by stepping on it. If, after several steps, small radial cracks are visible and a slight crunch is heard, then, in principle, you can walk on it, but observe safety behavior on ice.

Checking the strength of ice by jumping on it or stamping your feet is not at all prudent. If, after checking, water protruding from above the ice is found, it is better not to cross over at this place. Safety on thin ice should be above all. You can never predict in which place you can fall into icy water.

To prevent an accident, it is better to go back, carefully following their own footsteps and not raising their legs high. In the case of strong cod, it is better to move crawling.

Rules of conduct on ice

In winter, it is imperative to observe safety on ice. To do this, you must adhere to the following rules:

1. You can not go on ice at night, in heavy fog, snow or rain.
2. If you need to go to the other side, it is better to use the ice ferries.
3. It is impossible to check the strength of ice with kicks on it, it is better to use a stick for this. If even a small amount of water appears, it can already be said that the ice is thin and not suitable for skating or walking on it.
   
4. If you urgently need to cross the ice to the other shore, it is better to use the already laid trails, and if there are none, think over the route more carefully.
5. In the case of group movement, it is better to go, keeping a distance of at least 5 meters from each other.
6. It is most convenient to cross the pond on skis, only do not fasten the fastenings, so that they can be quickly reset at the slightest danger.
7. If there is a burden behind your back, it is best to place it on one shoulder, so that in danger you can easily get rid of it.
8. Always, going to a frozen reservoir, it is necessary to take a strong rope with a loop and a load, so that, if necessary, you can throw it to a failed friend.
9. Often, winter safety on ice is not respected by persons intoxicated. In this state, it is impossible to adequately respond to the danger, and there it is a stone's throw to the tragedy.

Sometimes the desire to skate on the newly formed ice, play hockey is stronger than a sense of danger, and therefore unforeseen situations occur. Safety on ice is especially important for children who look forward to winter.

Rules of conduct on ice for children

Most of the children look forward to the winter with great eagerness to ride on sleds, ice skates, play hockey, so very often kids neglect all safety rules. Parents have a great responsibility for the health and preservation of the life of the child, so they are obliged to tell children about safety on ice in the winter.

1. You can not let children alone in frozen ponds.
   
2. Be sure to make sure that the ice has a thickness of at least 7 centimeters.
3. If collective games on ice are supposed, the thickness of the ice cover should be about 12 centimeters.
4. Children need to be explained that, moving on ice of dubious thickness, it is necessary to go in a bosom and no closer than 5 meters from each other.
5. You can not step on ice if it is covered with snow, you can easily stumble upon an ice hole.
6. Prohibit children from going to water with the onset of spring heat. The ice quickly begins to melt, especially along the banks, around bushes and reeds.
7. You can’t jump on the separated ice floe, it has the unpleasant property of easily turning over, so you can be in the water in a matter of minutes.
8. If, nevertheless, the ice could not hold and crack, and the child was in the water, then he should know how to act in such a situation.
9. If the child was not alone, but with a group of friends, then in case of danger someone should quickly go for help, and the rest should take all measures to save his friend, only try not to keep him company.

Safety on water, on ice is studied in schools at the lessons of life safety, before each vacation, class teachers must conduct appropriate instruction.

First aid on ice

Everyone can find themselves in ice water in the winter, so you need to know how to help your friend. Here are the key recommendations:

• Move to the side of the failed only crawl.
• It is better not to extend a hand to a comrade, but a scarf, a stick or other improvised means, so as not to be near him.
  
• After a friend has hooked on an object extended to him, it is necessary to carefully pull him on the ice, but do not make any sudden movements.
• After a successful extraction, assistance should be provided, which consists in warming the victim and dressing him in dry clothes.

It is very important that the comrades are not taken aback in such a situation and, instead of scattering in different directions, help their friend.

What to do if you fall through the ice

Often there are situations when a person goes alone to a frozen body of water and a tragedy occurs: under the snow that has fallen, no wormwood has been noticed, and now the icy water opens its arms. What to do in this case? Here is the action algorithm:

1. The most important thing is to maintain self-control and not to panic, clinging to the edge of the ice. This will not help, but will only exhaust strength.
2. From the first second, you must try to get to the surface of the ice, while taking a horizontal position.
3. If the current draws in under the ice, you must push against the edge with all your might and loudly call for help.
   
4. When moving, the backpack should be on one shoulder, when falling through the ice it can be easily dropped and hands free for salvation.
5. If you go alone to a pond in winter, you need to have “rescuers” that you can make with your own hands. To do this, wrap nails around the insulating, making a semblance of a handle, and let the lace pass so as not to lose. At the time of danger, with their help, you can cling to the ice like claws and thus save your life.

Safety on ice should always be in the first place, under no circumstances should one lose vigilance.

We got ashore: what next?

The most important thing after release from ice captivity is to warm up faster, so you need to get to a warm room as soon as possible. If you are far from home, you can take advantage of the hospitality of the inhabitants of the neighboring village. If you are very far from the settlements, you must always have a set of dry clothes in your backpack that can save you in such a situation.

At the second stage, it is important to warm yourself from the inside, and in this case you can’t do without hot drink, so you will have to go home as soon as possible, preferably running.

Whatever the weather on a winter day, you should not risk it and go to the pond alone. It is especially dangerous to do this with the onset of the first spring days, when the ice begins to thaw, it becomes loose and fragile.

Behavior on ponds in the autumn-winter period

To prevent accidents in water bodies in winter and late autumn, certain rules of conduct must be observed. They are simple enough, but can save a human life:

1. No need to rush with the appearance of the first ice sheet to go to the pond.
2. Ice becomes reliable only with the advent of steady low temperatures.
3. It is dangerous enough to descend on ice in unfamiliar places, especially in the thaw.
4. It is better not to cross the pond in places with a large layer of snow, under it the ice thickness is always less than in the open.
5. Do not risk your life when setting off on ice at night, and even alone.
6. It is better to play sports winter games on specially equipped skating rinks to be sure of the reliability of ice.
7. It is dangerous to use ice for crossing during spring floods.

Following these simple rules can save a life.

Recommendations for winter fishing enthusiasts

Quite often you can see fishermen who sit on ice with a fishing rod, and around the thaw and wormwood, especially in early spring and during thaws. The desire to catch a good fish makes you despise danger, but in vain. There are many cases when rescuers had to free the grief fishermen from ice captivity. And to prevent this from happening, all you have to do is observe some rules:

• For winter fishing, you need to choose a familiar pond and those places where the depth does not exceed the height of a person.
  
• Be able to recognize dangerous and safe ice.
• Be careful when descending from the shore to the ice, in these places it can be weak.
• Do not make a few ice holes nearby.
• It is also undesirable to sit in a large group on a small piece of ice.
• If during the punching of a hole water begins to beat out of it, this means that the place is dangerous and is not suitable for safe fishing.
• You need to have sharp objects with you that could be used for salvation in the event of a tragedy.

Only following these simple rules can you be sure that winter fishing will end safely.

Winter is good! There is an opportunity to go in for winter sports, to ride a lot on sleds and skates, but do not neglect the safety rules, especially in frozen ponds. And it is important that not only the safety of children on ice is ensured, but that adults themselves do not forget about caution.