How to act if in front of your eyes a person fell through the ice? What if you yourself fell into the water? Basic rules of behavior on ice.
Thousands of people drown in water bodies every year. And not only in the summer heat during swimming, but also in winter or early spring, falling through the ice.
Cars and pedestrians walk along the "bridges" built on reservoirs by frost, shortening paths, fishermen cut holes, sometimes of a rather large diameter. During the night, such a hole, covered with thin ice, covered with snow, becomes an invisible trap for an unwary person. Gullies are often formed on fast-flowing rivers and in places where spring water gushes or streams flow. On large areas, the ice is washed away by warm waters discharged into reservoirs by industrial enterprises. Ice is weak in places where branches, reeds, boards or other objects are frozen into it.
Children often arrange slides near steep shores and lakes. Rolling down on a sled or ski, when driving fast, it is difficult to brake or turn off, even noticing a danger ahead - an ice hole or a breach. Many tomboys run on skates or sleds on ice that cracks and sags. They consider this a manifestation of heroism, not realizing the terrible danger of such fun. It is not for nothing that people often compare actions associated with risk with walking on thin ice.
To avoid accidents, you must follow the basic rules of ice behavior.
Take a close look in front of you before stepping on the ice. Hazardous areas on ice tend to be darker than others. Muddy ice is fragile, spongy, slightly transparent and whitish. Descent onto the ice is considered one of the most dangerous places - there are often cracks in the zone of its "abutment" to the land. Particular care is needed after snowfalls, when cracks, holes, ice holes are not visible under a layer of snow. The safest way is to cross clear ice, which has a greenish or bluish tint, to stick to the beaten track. It is better to cross in a group, keeping a distance of 5-6 meters from each other.
The strength of the ice is checked with an ice stick or a thick stick, striking it (2-3 times in the same place) as far as possible in front of you. You should not test the strength of ice with kicks, so it is no wonder to fail.
Before going on the ice, skiers are advised to remove the pole loops from the hands and the strap of the backpack from one shoulder, and also to unfasten the ski mounts. These preparations will provide freedom of movement in the event of an unexpected dip under the ice. It is dangerous for fishermen to punch many holes in a limited area, to gather in large groups on weak ice, especially when it is covered with snow, and during a thaw. It is imperative to have a board at the hole that increases the support area.
What if you fell into the water?
The main thing is not to panic! Try to spread your arms wide at once so as not to dive headlong into the water. Maintain your composure. Do not shout if there is no one nearby - you will only waste your energy. It is better to try, without breaking the edge or making sudden movements, to get out onto hard ice. It is important to "throw" legs on its edge, transfer the weight of the body to a wide area of support and then, without lifting, crawl or roll away from the dangerous place. The water splashing out of the breach quickly makes the ice slippery and makes it difficult for the hands to work. It is necessary to take it as a rule: take a couple of large nails with you for winter fishing. With the help of them, it is easier to pull up. If trouble happened near the coast, then you should swim out to land.
If, in front of your eyes, a person fell through the ice - immediately shout to him that you are going to help. This will calm him down and give him strength. You can approach the hole only by crawling, otherwise you will both find yourself in the water. It is better to put some kind of wooden object under yourself - a board, skis, sticks - to increase the support area. Throw ropes, tied belts, scarves, as well as sledges, skis or long objects to a drowning person 3-4 meters from the hole. Crawling to the edge of it is unacceptable. If there are several people nearby, it is recommended to lie on the ice in a chain and, holding each other by the legs, move towards the breach!
People cannot stay in icy water for a long time, therefore the life and health of the victim depend on ingenuity and speed of action. Truly true: whoever helped soon, helped twice.
The best way to keep a person warm is to take off their wet clothes, undress themselves and lie down next to them in a sleeping bag. Give a hot drink. In the absence of a sleeping bag, the clothes must be wrung out and put back on the rescued person. It's good if there is plastic wrap. It can wrap a person, the so-called greenhouse effect is obtained. And try to quickly get to the warm room.
Remember: going to a body of water alone is dangerous! You definitely need to be in a company or at least two people and be sure, apart from two large nails (which has already been mentioned), take with you a skein of strong (nylon) cord 10-15 m long with large loops at the ends. The end of the line is thrown into the ice break.
V. Zhavoronkov The ABC of Safety in Emergency Situations.
