Winter recreation: Ice safety

在冰上冒险时，你应该非常小心，因为掉下去会导致体温过低和溺水. 遵循这些一般的冰安全提示，帮助保护你和你的家人在这个冬天:

Tips to make your ice outing enjoyable

During the winter months, a frozen lake can be the center of many outdoor 活动, including ice hockey, dog sledding 和 ice skating. 虽然这些冬季运动很有趣，但它们也很危险. 在某些情况下，由于不安全的冰上操作造成了严重伤害或死亡.

Safe 冰厚度

遵循 these guidelines to help determine 冰厚度 和 safety.

• 冰厚度: Ice needs to be at least 4 inches thick for safety on foot.
• 测试方法: 用凿子或螺旋钻打一个孔，用卷尺测量厚度.
• How often to test: Test the ice every 150 feet, as ice rarely freezes uniformly, 永远不要以为一个冬天的冰是安全的，因为新冰比旧冰更坚固.
• Look for clear ice: Clear ice is twice as strong as snow-covered or white ice. When testing the latter, it should be twice as thick.
• 冰上重量: Ice 4 inches thick can withst和 200 pounds per square feet, w在这里as ice 5 inches thick can usually withst和 800 pounds.

在冰上

Don't forget these safety considerations:

• Dress appropriately. 穿有足够牵引力的鞋子或靴子，多穿一层防水的衣服.
• Use the buddy system. 永远不要独自去冰上，并且在冰上移动时与你的搭档保持10英尺的距离. That way, if one person falls in, the other is able to help.

How to ice fish safely

It's not just about 冰厚度, being safe on the ice requires patience 和 preparation. 这里有一些你可以做的实用的事情来让你的出游更安全:

• 带朋友来. Don't ice fish alone. 此外，确保朋友和家人知道你在哪里钓鱼以及你计划什么时候回家.
• 展开. Do not drill too many holes in one place. The more holes, the less stable the ice surface.
• Don't ice fish near plants. Plants produce heat as they decay. So watch your step in marshy areas.
• Wear a life jacket. 救生衣有很好的漂浮性能，以防你落水.
• Wear appropriate footwear. 冰爪(或爬行鞋)适合你的鞋底，给你更多的牵引力在冰上. 给它们喷上植物油，防止雪或冰粘在上面.
• Bring a pair of ice picks or screwdrivers. 把它们放在你的夹克里，以防你掉进水里，不得不把自己拉出来. Make sure they have wooden h和les so they won't sink.
• Pack a rope to go ice fishing. 用绳子比用胳膊更容易把人从水里拉上来.
• Avoid snow-covered ice. Snow has insulating properties, 是什么阻止冷空气使冰保持在冰点的温度.
• Refrain from alcohol usage. 酒精会减缓你的反应，使你更容易体温过低.
• Pack a first aid kit 和 matches. 将这些物品放在干燥安全的地方，以便在紧急情况下可以使用.
• Keep away from shipping lanes. 油轮和驳船破坏了冰的完整性，即使你在几英里外捕鱼.
• Park your 车辆 on dry l和. Refrain from parking your car or truck on the ice. The added weight could cause the ice around you to break.

What are the dangers of ice fishing?

冰钓受伤和死亡通常是由于体温过低(一种显著降低体温的情况), 造成严重的代谢功能障碍)或与车辆有关的事故. Some of the other common dangers of ice fishing include:

• Not dressing properly to go ice fishing. 由于体温过低的风险，保持你的头、手和脚温暖和干燥是必不可少的.
• Not packing adequate ice fishing equipment. 如果你不穿救生衣，溺水死亡是可能发生的. 带上合适的装备，比如镐和绳子，可以帮助你战胜困难.
• Excessive alcohol consumption while ice fishing. Drinking alcohol can slow your reflexes 和 reaction time, which can be risky in the event of an emergency. 过量饮酒也会增加体温过低的几率, 因为酒精会收缩血管，降低体温.
• Falling through thin ice. Ice doesn't freeze evenly on the surface of a lake or river, 和 thin patches can't always be detected by sight alone. Ice strength is affected by current, wind 和 other factors. Thin ice will not sustain the weight of a human, let alone a snowmobile, all-terrain 车辆 (ATV) or truck. 向当地紧急情况官员查询安全冰层厚度.

If you fall through

Know what to do in this worst-case scenario.

• Remember to bring safety tools. Before you head out on the ice, 确保你有冰锥可以帮助你爬出水面，还有哨子可以呼救.
• 不要惊慌. 你会很快失去能量，所以要缓慢而有意识地朝着你摔倒的地方移动.
• Avoid st和ing up right away. 一旦你出去了, 远离腹部或侧面的破洞，保持体重均匀分布在冰面上，以防止进一步的裂缝.

Be sure to check out safety tips for outdoor 活动 和 snowmobile tips for beginners for additional tips on how to stay safe while enjoying winter 活动.