What to do if you or someone else fell through the ice

What if you fell through the ice

Do not panic

If you feel that fails, hold your breath. After the dive, the main thing - to calm down and focus. We must act quickly and decisively, do not just wallow and wasting time for nothing.

In the first few seconds of your body will experience a cold shock: you breathless, increased heart rate, the pressure will rise. In such conditions it is easy to panic.

But remember: this is a natural reaction and you have time to escape.

You have 10 minutes before onemeyut muscles, and 1 hour prior to loss of consciousness.

Go up to the surface and try to breathe slowly and deeply.

Do not remove clothing. It may seem that it pulls you down, but do not spend time on it. In addition, between layers of clothes can be air layers that will keep you afloat.

But from the heavy backpack is better to get rid of.

Orient

Climb to the polynya and wide arms out to the side - so it will be easier to keep afloat.

Turn ago. The easiest way - the one by which you came. Once the ice bore you for the first time, then you will be able to go through it again.

But if there is within, in any case, do not turn your back on him: a high probability that you will tighten under the ice, and it will be harder to get. In this case, move to the opposite edge of the hole in the ice.

Get out

You can choose different ways.

method 1

Place both hands on the ice. Actively working legs, the body adopted a horizontal position.

Tighten and lift himself upward on his elbows to clothing with water glass. Then the sliding motion pull himself to the surface, but do not get up. Since your weight is distributed over a larger area, and therefore, not ice will break again.

method 2

The procedure is the same, but you will be helping yourself with a sharp object, if any, will be in your hand or pocket. Use a ski pole, knife, keys, pen or pencil, to, clinging to the ice, pulled himself out of the polynya.

method 3

Turn your back to the edge of the hole in the ice, grab it with both hands and pull in the same way as you normally picks up on a high windowsill.

All of these methods have one disadvantage: from your movements ice can break off again. In addition, it is usually quite slippery, so that it is not easy to grasp. But this does not mean that we should not try.

Persevere selected in any manner.

What if you do not have the strength to get out on their own? Stay on the surface, call for help. Put your hands on the edge of the hole in the ice: your clothes primorznet to ice and keep you above water, even if you lose consciousness.

If the pocket miraculously gets wet phone, call 112, and a man who is as close as possible to the place where you have failed.

While waiting for help, do not throw attempts to escape. Remove heavy with garments of water: it is possible, without it you have enough strength to catch up.

Get to the coast

When will be on the surface, roll away from the hole in the ice for at least a few meters. No need to immediately jump to his feet and run headlong: ice around polynyas can be subtle. Stand up only when the ice would be thick or the ground beneath you.

Return on the same path they had come.

Keep warm and seek help

Against this danger does not end there: you run the risk of supercooled and get chilblain. Therefore it is necessary either to change into dry clothes, or to remove, wring out and put on the back that you. And as fast as you can run at any warm room, located nearby. If you are far from settlements, dilute fire.

Movement - life. Do not stop until you find yourself in a safe place.

In any case it is impossible to rub the hands and feet (cold blood from the extremities to the head prilot) and gulps drink hot liquid, and especially strong drinks (start sharp blood flow to the skin). All this is bad for the cardiovascular system, and in the worst case can lead to cardiac arrest.

Once you are in the room, do the following:

1. Remove wet clothes and wrapped in a blanket.
2. Drink a warm drink in small sips.
3. Call an ambulance, even if you think you are in good order.

What if someone else fell through the ice

No need to rush headlong to the rescue: the ice near where failure can break off, and you will find yourself in the water.

First of all, call the rescue service by number 112. Then find a stick or a rope, or improvise: for example, tie a few scarves or belts.

Picked to the polynya crawled so that your weight is distributed over a larger area, and stopped a few meters from the water. Throw the victim stick, rope, or what could replace them, and drag.

Conversely, too, need to crawl. Stand it will be possible only when the ice would be thick or the ground beneath their feet.

After selecting the shore as soon as possible go to a warm place and face the man first aid before the arrival of emergency: Remove wet clothing, help keep warm, drink tea.

How not to be in the icy water

1. Going out on the ice, you are putting your life in danger. The worst possible time for such trips - the beginning of winter, and early spring thaw. But we must be careful at all times. The thickness of the ice is constantly changing. Even if you have traveled most of the way without any problems, it does not mean that the front of the ice will be as safe.
2. Do not go out on the ice alone, at night or in poor visibility.
3. It is safer to move on pure ice, where there is no snow.
4. Never test the strength of the ice foot. Proceed stick or trust your eyes. Ice blue - strong, white - two times thinner, matte white with a yellowish tinge - very unreliable.
5. You go around the places where it grows reeds, shrubs, trees: there is likely to fall under the ice is always higher.
6. If you go on the ice now, keep safety distance of 5-6 meters.
7. Listen. If you hear a strange creaking or cracking, better turn around and sliding movements back to the shore.

Even more safety regulations can be found on the MOE website.

What are the things to take a walk on the ice

1. Set of warm clothes.
2. Rope or strong cord with a weight at the end.
3. Matches.
4. Phone.
5. A stick to check the strength of the ice.
6. A thermos of tea.

Things can be folded into a backpack, but during the transition hang it only on one shoulder, you can easily get rid of it, if you will break under the ice.