A member of Hamilton police’s marine unit emphasized the danger of venturing onto ice after bystanders assisted in the rescue of two individuals who fell through the ice near the Pier 7 boardwalk.
“We are thankful that there were no serious injuries or fatalities,” stated Constable Rob Young in an interview with CBC Hamilton on Sunday.
On March 7, two young individuals ventured onto the ice close to Williams Fresh Cafe, leading to them falling through the ice.
Despite warnings from onlookers about the hazardous conditions, the pair remained on the ice. When they realized the ice was breaking, they attempted to leap to safety but failed, ultimately plunging into the water.
‘Brave’ individuals attempted to assist the duo who fell through the ice
Thankfully, as Young highlighted, “courageous actions were taken by some individuals who put themselves at extreme personal risk to aid strangers.”
According to a news release from the Hamilton Police Service, four people ventured onto the ice to offer assistance, with some of them also falling into the water. Police officers reached the scene and utilized safety equipment to rescue everyone and bring them to safety.
Upon arriving, Young and his team provided first aid to prevent hypothermia as other first responders were extracting individuals from the water.
While one of the young individuals was transported to the hospital for evaluation by paramedics, the rest were treated on-site, Young confirmed.
Temperatures soared to 18 C on Saturday, but Young emphasized that even in colder conditions, venturing onto the ice would have been perilous.
“The common refrain among individuals involved in ice rescues is ‘no ice is safe ice,’ especially during the spring and fall seasons when freezing and thawing occur,” Young remarked. “Although it is possible to be on the ice safely, it requires thorough preparation and knowledge to do so correctly.”
According to the Lifesaving Society, approximately 35% of drownings in Canada happen between October and April when people do not typically plan to enter the water.
The Lifesaving Society designates March 1 as Ice Safety Day, cautioning that even in the summer, most water temperatures are below 20 C, posing a risk of hypothermia within an hour, regardless of swimming ability.
No ice is safe ice.– Const. Rob Young
To safely walk, fish, or ski on ice, it should be at least 10 cm thick, and for driving a snowmobile, it should be at least 12 cm thick, as advised by the Lifesaving Society.
If one falls through ice, the Lifesaving Society recommends remaining calm, placing hands and arms on the unbroken surface, kicking feet, and pushing up onto the stomach to disperse weight before crawling to solid ground.
In February, Toronto police issued a warning against venturing onto ice due to daily incidents of people encountering unsafe ice conditions, as reported by their marine unit.
Fortunately, Young stated that such rescues, like the one on Saturday, are infrequent for the Hamilton team. He mentioned that they would use this experience to enhance their response strategies in the future.