Earlier than usual beginning of seasonally cold temperatures prompt ice safety story
It’s below freezing outdoors, sooner than usual this November. During an early morning walk along the Riverwalk and over at May Watts Park, icy shorelines are reminders that youngsters who love the great outdoors will benefit with some tips to play it safe near rivers, streams and ponds.
Every morning students arrive at the bus stops throughout the city, sometimes running to catch the bus with only one arm inside the sleeve of a jacket. As days dip way below-freezing temperatures and winter sets in to stay, most mothers shiver as they wish all the kids were bundled up for the wait.
A lesson in proper winter clothing with waterproof shoes or boots that grip slippery pavement and hand warmers inside gloves or mittens would be a start. A warm hat or hood, scarf and layers of light clothing under warm outerwear will keep youngsters warm when they choose to play outdoors in the frigid fresh air.
Winter safety for winter fun outdoors
Before schools let out for holiday breaks, consider having a heart-to-heart conversation about winter safety, including what to wear and where to play. Free time during breaks creates opportunities to fill the day with things to do—and when the snow falls, fun activities such as building snowmen, sledding, ice fishing, cross-country skiing and skating are inviting. Youngsters will benefit when they go outside to play, especially with good advice and the knowledge to be cautious and to limit exposure.
Just because a child knows more about technology than his mother or dad does not mean he or she has common sense about the great outdoors. Youngsters need to be carefully taught. Simply ask them what they know.
Retention Pond Safety
Retention ponds are plentiful in Naperville neighborhoods, built during the city’s development as a means to handle excess water.  Often reaching depths of 10 feet, some 200 man-made ponds dot the Naperville landscape, creating a beautiful natural habitat for wildlife as well as the backdrop for trails and recreational areas to enjoy every season of the year.
Most of the ponds exist in neighborhood parks where there are local regulations regarding fishing, ice skating, sledding etc.  Special areas are designated throughout the city for ice skating. Be mindful that skating and hockey are not allowed on the city’s retention ponds.
Still, for safety’s sake, it is important to learn how to tell when/if it is safe to venture onto a frozen pond, lake or river. You just never know what’s good to know. Ice that is strong enough to hold an individual never freezes thick enough over night.
New ice typically is much stronger than old ice.
Clear blue/black ice is stronger than milky white ice.
Consider a few guidelines for ice safety that could prevent tragedy and save lives.
Again, never assume the ice on any pond, lake or river is thick enough to support your weight. Test it!
Start at the shoreline and, using an auger or drill, make test holes at intervals as you proceed.
Never venture out on ice that is less than four inches thick. If you have any doubts at all, don’t take a chance.
Ice Safety Chart
Ice Thickness  / (In Inches) Maximum Safe Load Before venturing onto a frozen pond, always check its thickness. If possible use an ice auger to drill a hole in the ice. If you don’t have an ice auger and the ice is clear find an angle at which you can see where the ice ends and water begins. Never venture onto a frozen pond alone. Always buddy up with one other person or go with a group. Consider ice thickness:- 3″ or less — STAY OFF!
- 4″ — One person on foot
- 6″ — Group in single fileÂ
- 7 1/2″— Cars or Snowmobile – (2 tons gross weight)Â
- 8-12″ — Light Truck (2 1/2 tons)Â
- 12-15″ — Medium Truck
If you fall through the ice, don’t panic. Spread arms and hands out on the unbroken ice and kick your feet and work forward. Once you’re on the ice roll forward carefully and slide away from the hole.
If someone with you falls through the ice, don’t panic. Call for help and call 911 immediately. These days, usually someone will have a cell phone.
If the ice is breaking, lie down flat on the ice to balance the weight. Get other people to form a chain of people and work out to the person and hold their hands. Never put yourself or others at the risk of also falling into the frigid water.
If possible, get a rope or chain so the victim can be pulled out of the water.
Once out of the water, help the person remove the cold, wet clothes. Provide dry warm clothes and blankets and go indoors to warm up. If the individual was in the water more than 30 seconds, there is a risk of hypothermia. Be sure to be checked by a physician.
Take Precautions!
If ice at the shoreline is cracked or slushy, stay clear away from it. Never go on the ice during thaws. Always avoid thin ice.
Never venture out onto a snow-covered pond. Snow serves as insulation.
Ice is generally thinner where there is moving water, such as near bridge abutments, islands, and natural objects that protrude through the ice.
Watch the weather. Temperatures must be consistently below freezing for at least a week before ice thickens. Be mindful that ice never freezes four inches thick overnight. If the overnight temperatures have been in the low 20’s for at least a week, the ice likely is safe. Be sure to test with an auger.
Falling through ice into cold water is common— and it’s life threatening.  Take precautions to help prevent a tragedy such as ones that have happened in Naperville in recent years.
The days when kids could watch for flags at the ice ponds that signaled they were frozen thick and hard enough for skating are from a bygone era.
Your own outdoor thermometer
If your household does not have an outdoor thermometer, consider purchasing one to place outside in a shady spot that’s easy to read. Many times the local weather station reports a temperature that can vary significantly from your yard.
