Rose let Jack slip into the icy sea in the epic Titanic film, but there is really nothing romantic about falling through ice on a cold winter’s day. That doesn’t mean you should avoid enjoying winter sports like ice fishing or riding a snowmobile, but it’s important to be aware of where you are, and what’s under you. It’s also helpful to know how to maximize your chances of surviving if you fall through the ice.
If you fall through the ice, you have one minute to get your breathing under control, 10 minutes before you are too numb to hold on or to tread water efficiently and one hour before you become unconscious due to hypothermia.
As soon as your body hits icy cold water, you first go through the cold shock phenomenon. Your focus should be to consciously control your breathing. Try to slow your breathing down and know that you have more time than you think to survive.
Once you are relatively calm, try to swim to the point at which you fell into the water and use your arms to grab hold of a solid edge of ice. For most of us, the natural instinct is to pull ourselves straight out, but this is next to impossible.
According to drkim.com, the most efficient way to get yourself out of the water is to keep your legs as horizontal as possible and kick like you’re swimming and try to get into a rhythm of kicking your legs and pulling your body forward onto the ice with your arms. Kick, pull, kick, pull, etc.
If you come upon someone who has broken through the ice, remember the most important goal should be to preserve yourself. If the victim can’t get out by himself, find something to throw to him, like a rope, tree branch, or even a ladder from a nearby home, if available. If you throw a rope, try to create a loop at the end of it so that the victim has something to grab onto.
