Spring ice is tricky. There is a special technique to save a person who has fallen under the ice. First of all, you should take care not to fail yourself. To get the victim out of the hole, any available means - sticks, poles, ropes, etc. will do.
In early spring, during thaws, ice on water bodies begins to melt and changes its structure. The ice mass ceases to be monolithic and becomes fragile. Ice on rivers is especially dangerous. In reservoirs with stagnant water, it is more powerful. Because of this, people are fishermen, children who go out on such ice risk falling into cold water. Everyone should know how to save a person in such a situation.
Ice rescue equipment
A person who has fallen under the ice can be rescued with improvised or service means. Service means of rescue include special ladders, poles, various drags and ice boats. Handy tools include ropes, scarves, belts, long poles, skis, ski poles, etc.
Rescue of the one who fell through the ice
You should not come too close to the one that has fallen under the ice - in this place the ice is fragile and you can fall under it yourself. It is necessary to crawl to the person on the ice, legs wide apart and with arms outstretched to the side. This method of movement will prevent you from failing yourself. If you have a long board or ski at hand, you need to lie on it and in this way move to the victim. If there is a long rope, you need to fix one end of it on the bank - it will serve as a support for pulling the victim and insure you in case you fail yourself. If a person who has failed begins to drown and goes under the ice, you need to dive after him, having previously tied himself with the end of a rope fixed on the shore.
Approaching the victim, but not crawling close to the hole, one should throw a rope, a scarf, and a pole to the person so that he can grab them. In this case, the victim must be informed that he spread his arms wide around the edges of the hole and did not attempt to escape on his own, since the ice next to him could break off at any moment.
What to do if you fell through the ice yourself
If the ice breaks under your feet and you find yourself in a hole, there is no time to waste. You need to spread your arms wide and carefully, without making unnecessary movements, move to where the ice seems to be the strongest. Having fixed on the ice, you can try to get to the surface on your own or call for help.
If you fall under the ice on skis, you need to immediately get rid of the excess load. This is especially true for a backpack. After that, you need to place sticks across the hole, throw off the skis and leaning on the sticks, as if on a support, slowly crawl out onto the ice.
Combating hypothermia
After pulling the victim out of the water, it is necessary to fight hypothermia. Here hot tea, various windscreens, a fire can become an assistant. It is necessary to take off wet clothes, change into dry clothes and wait for the arrival of doctors.
