Ice Safety Advisory

(WEST PARRY SOUND, ON) – The West Parry Sound Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) wants to ensure the public practices proper ice safety.  Area residents must take caution regarding thin ice conditions in the Parry Sound area lakes and rivers.

Ice safety and weight-bearing properties of ice can be affected by many factors, including thickness, currents, age of ice, pressure cracks and snow cover.  Ice does not freeze at uniform thickness across bodies of water.  Thickness should be checked regularly as you move further out onto the ice.

The strongest ice is clear blue in colour.  White or opaque ice is much weaker.  A layer of heavy snow on a frozen lake or river can insulate the ice below and slow down freezing.  Travelling on ice with snowmobiles or vehicles can be potentially very dangerous and added precautions must be taken.  At least 10 centimetres (4inches) of clear blue ice is required for walking on, 20 centimetres (8inches) for snowmobiles and 30 centimetres (12 inches) minimum is needed for most light vehicles.

Proper use of safety equipment can reduce the risks of travelling over ice covered bodies of water.  Some of these include the wearing of survival suits, carrying picks (used to grip ice to pull yourself out of the water), and carrying a rescue rope.

Children should not play near or on ice covered bodies of water unless supervised by an experienced, safety-conscious adult who is familiar with local conditions and currents.

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