GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) – Cold temperatures have many anxious to get out on their local lake, but make sure the ice is safe before you do so.
Freezing temperatures don’t always equate to safe ice according to Don Herman of Sunk? Dive and Ice Service of Oshkosh.
Nonetheless, he says people are already heading out.
“There’s actually quite a few people already out because everybody puts their guns away after deer hunting and all the ice fishing equipment starts to come out,” he says. “And some are pretty antsy to get out.”
In some locations that might be perfectly safe, because according to Herman you only need at least two inches of ice to walk on, but a thicker surface would be preferable.
“If you’re walking out you’d like to have at least four inches,” he explains. “I mean you only need two inches to hold someone and I’ve been on two inches many times, but if you want to be a little extra safe you want four inches of ice.”
While it may be safe to walk on your local lake already, it most likely is best to keep your vehicle parked in the garage for the time being.
“It’s four to eight to ten [inches] for a four-wheeler or side-by-side,” says Herman. “Once you get over ten inches you can have a small vehicle.”
And any heavy duty vehicles require even more ice.
“You need about twelve inches to take out a four-wheel drive with a diesel in it,” he says.
And according to Herman the “buddy system” wasn’t just a good idea in grade school, because it can save lives while on the ice.
“Always go out with someone when you’re going out on early ice,” he explains. “It’s just a safety deal and if something does happen you have someone there to help you.”
And there’s some basic safety equipment to have on-hand when venturing out onto the lake as well.
“I tell everybody if you’re going out early and going out on the ice to have one of those nice, new life vests,” he says. “Make sure you have an ice pick and a whistle.”
He says a whistle might be someones last chance to be discovered because you can’t count on your voice being heard.
“When you fall in you can’t even really yell because of the shock from the cold water,” says Herman. “But you can always blow a whistle and you can hear that.”
