Ponoka County warns stay off thin ice

Ponoka County warns stay off thin ice

Residents are urged to stay away from local lakes and rivers following last weekend’s warm weather.
“You’ve got to just use extreme caution,” Donna Noble with Ponoka County Regional Fire Services said.
The county has warned people of the risk of falling through thin ice following the big shift in temperature, and the risks should a mishap occur.
“As much as you’d love to back to go back on the ice where you’ve been for the last three or four months, with this warm weather we have those layers of ice that are breaking down right now and it’s not worth the chance,” Noble told the One.
The Protective Services Coordinator pointed out, in most cases, residents are not going to be dressed appropriately for the winter conditions and if they fall into the water hypothermia can set in quickly.
There is also the chance of being swept under the ice as water moves faster at this time of year and that might put first responders at risk as well as the person they are attempting to rescue.