Ice is now a major concern, seeing as the minus temperatures have hit Portage la Prairie. With that in mind, the Portage la Prairie RCMP are reminding everyone to be safe around water and ice at this time of year.
RCMP Media Liaison Officer Larry Neufeld says most lakes, rivers, creeks and ponds are beginning to freeze over in and around the area. He notes Ice doesn't freeze uniformly and can be unsafe. Ice thickness measurement is only a guideline and does not always mean the ice is safe.
Some, but not all safety tips for venturing out on the ice could be:
- Children should always be supervised when near ice and water and teach them ice safety
- Never go on the ice alone
- Let someone know where you are going and when you will return when venturing onto the ice
- Carry items to help you get out of the water if the ice breaks up like ice picks, ropes or life jacket
- Avoid going onto the ice at night
- Carry a plastic pealess whistle or a flashlight to signal for help
Chart showing ice thickness suitable to certain activities:
Ice ThicknessIn response to Canada's Online News Act and Meta (Facebook and Instagram) removing access to local news from their platforms, PortageOnline encourages you to get your news directly from your trusted source by bookmarking this page and downloading the PortageOnline app.
Sat, Dec 9, 5:00 PM
Full-time
Featured
