LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — Winter weather in Kentucky may make ice fishing and skating on local ponds look tempting, but first responders are warning residents to stay off the ice at all costs.
"It is never gonna be safe in Kentucky to have thick enough ice to be able to walk around on and play on. As much fun as I know it would be for a lot of kids and even some adults, it's so unsafe," said Battalion Chief Chris Warren, who has been a first responder for more than 20 years.
Warren said his department issues a public service announcement every year about ice dangers, yet they still receive emergency calls each year.
The warning comes after three brothers died this week in Dallas after falling through ice in a pond, according to the local NBC station.
"It can break through without any warning whatsoever. You fall into the water," Warren said.
Warren explained that ice needs to be at least 4 inches thick on any body of water to support a person's weight.
"The problem is there's no way to tell how thick that ice is unless you cut a hole in it, and if you cut a hole in it now it's weak and you've created another problem," he said.
The dangers extend beyond just falling through ice. Water temperatures around 33 to 34 degrees can cause hypothermia within a minute, and victims can lose consciousness within five minutes.
"The blood is shunted from their extremities to the core of the body to try to keep it warm. Once that happens, they can't, they have no motor function of their hands. They have no motor function of their feet, so they can't grab anything. They can't grab a rope or a float," Warren said.
These conditions also make rescues extremely difficult for first responders.
If someone accidentally finds themselves on breaking ice, Warren recommends lying down and log rolling to the side to distribute weight as much as possible. For those trying to help from shore, he suggests throwing something to the victim or laying a ladder on the ice to distribute weight rather than concentrating it in one spot.
