Expert reveals little-known trick to escape if you fall through ice during winter
An expert has revealed tips on how to escape if you fall through the ice into dark, freezing water this winter.
Documentary filmmaker Josh Gerritsen from Maine demonstrated how to safely get back to dry land if you are unlucky enough to dive into icy water.
Every winter there are tragic stories of people falling through the ice and dying from their injuries or from hypothermia.
Gerritsen, who regularly skates in ponds in Maine, has given top tips on how to avoid a similarly gruesome fate.
He recently started coaching small groups in Rockport on how to safely escape the water if they fall through the ice.
Gerritsen said it’s best to avoid falling through the ice in the first place by assessing its strength, depth and density before venturing across it.
He also said not to go alone so that there was always someone else around if the worst happened.
Gerritsen said to make sure the ice is at least four inches thick, using a drill, chisel or ax to assess density.
An expert has revealed tips on how to escape if you fall through the ice into dark, freezing water this winter
Documentary filmmaker Josh Gerritsen from Maine demonstrated how to safely get back to dry land if you are unlucky enough to dive into icy water
Blue and clear ice is usually an indication that it is thick enough to skate on, although Gerritsen cautioned to also check for hazards that could endanger the ice, such as inlets and bridges.
If the worst happens and you fall through the ice, Gerritsen recommends staying calm and avoiding scrambling out right away, as this can break more ice.
He recommended spreading your arms out on the unbroken ice nearby and kicking as hard as you can to lift yourself onto it.
As you try to roll up, you should try to stay as horizontal as possible on the ice so that you can easily slide out.
Gerritsen demonstrated the move from Megunticook Lake in Camden, wearing skates, a drysuit and a life jacket.
Every winter there are tragic stories of people falling through the ice and dying from their injuries or from hypothermia
He used ice picks to escape on his own and then escaped with a rope pulled by someone else to simulate both solo and group rescue missions.
“The main reason I’m doing this is… I want people to feel a little stronger and not just scared,” Gerritsen told the Bangor Daily News.
“Knowledge is power, and if you know how to read the ice, how to measure the ice, how to be careful and always have the safety tools, it takes away that irrational fear.
“I think it’s good to have a healthy fear of the ice.”