spring

The spring thaw has begun, and you must keep ice safety in mind.

“No ice is 100 per cent safe, and it’s impossible to judge the ice conditions just by appearance and thickness alone. We should have at least a minimum of four inches just to walk on it. We’re looking at somewhere between eight and 12 inches if you want to put a vehicle or something like that on the ice. I would always check to make sure, before you go on the ice, that you have the required thickness. That’s a key ingredient,” Riverview Deputy Fire Chief Bentley Rice explained.

With fluctuating temperatures and conditions at this time of year, the risk is heightened.

Environment Canada reported record-breaking warm temperatures yesterday in some New Brunswick regions, but there are cooler temperatures forecast later this week.

“As we move into March and into April, the thickness of the ice is going to become less and less. And we’re going to have the freeze and thaw period over the next month. We’re not going to regain that overall thickness that we might have had in January or February.” Rice added.

He also advised having a plan in place if you do have to cross a frozen waterway, “Let someone know that you’re going to be on the ice. Carry a life jacket or a throw bag or something of that nature, just in case you fall into the water.”