Officials: Practice safety on the ice

CELINA - Dropping temperatures and a frozen Grand Lake may have people thinking about ice fishing and other winter activities.

But they should have a solid safety plan first, a state park official said.

Brian Miller, southwest district manager for Ohio State Parks and Watercraft, said there is no such thing as 100% safe ice.

Waterfowl, aerators and rainfall can result in open patches of water in an otherwise frozen lake, even when temperatures dip extremely low, said Miller, a lifelong Grand Lake resident.

"There are people (who) run aerators to protect their docks, their investment," Miller said. "There are holes out there that the ducks and geese keep open. If we get rainfall, then there could be warm water that could come in."

Miller said before venturing out on any ice, people should always check its thickness by drilling a hole in it. This should be done at the end of a dock or other shallow area.

According to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, four inches of clear ice is the minimum thickness for foot travel, five inches for snowmobiles and all-terrain vehicles and eight-12 inches for cars or small trucks.

If people decide to go out on the ice, they should wear a life vest under their winter gear, Miller said. They also should travel with a buddy and make sure someone else knows they plan to go out and when they will return.

"If someone was to go through the ice, the first thing that's going to happen, they're going to go into shock because (of) the cold," Miller said. "Hypothermia, all those things, are going to set in."

Other safety tips ice enthusiasts should take include tying a rope to a tree to act as a harness and carrying picks to grip the ice in case they break through.

If someone falls in, they should remain calm and try to roll out of the hole while maintaining their breathing, he said.

People taking snowmobiles or ATVs onto the frozen lake should make sure the vehicles are licensed, because the lake is part of the state park, Miller said.

Miller cautioned parents to keep track of children and even pets around the frozen lake.

Just last year, Celina native Kevin Klosterman rescued a golden retriever that fell through the ice. Klosterman said he was wearing a life jacket and was in a canoe and wouldn't have attempted the rescue without those items.

"There was divine intervention on that one as well," Klosterman said. "When I picked up the dog, the ice was only an inch or two thick, so it shouldn't have suspended a 70-pound dog at the same time."

Klosterman said ice can be unpredictable, but he has practice and experience on the ice because he grew up on the lake.

"You quickly learn what you can get away with on the ice," he said. "If you're going to test the ice, go where you're not going to get wet beyond your waist. It's common-sense safety. You've gotta know the ice before you go out on it. And if you don't, then don't."

Even with experience, Klosterman said he always wears a life jacket and carries small ropes and a knife when venturing out on the frozen lake.

"You're only going to get one chance," he said. "You can't go get something if you need it right then and there."

He said air bubbles, cracks and dead fish frozen in the ice contribute to ice instability.

Klosterman said black ice is the safest because it's clearer and stronger. Honeycomb ice, which is not clear, breaks much easier and is not safe.