Between November 2016 and April 2017, 5 people died in the Vitebsk region due to the carelessness of the public during the initial freezing period.
Between November 2016 and April 2017, 5 people died in the Vitebsk region due to the carelessness of the public during the initial freezing period. Currently, there is no ice cover, but soon rivers and lakes will begin to freeze over with a thin layer of ice, which will lead to amateur anglers and children going out onto the water bodies. Ice can be considered safe if its thickness is at least 7 centimeters for a person and 20 centimeters for a group of people. The thickness of the ice is not uniform everywhere. Extremely dangerous areas of a water body include: near the shoreline, near the outlets of factory and farm drainage pipes, in places where springs emerge, streams and rivers flow in, in areas with snow accumulation, and near reeds and rushes. If the ice breaks and you fall into the water:
- Do not panic;
- Try to discard heavy items;
- Turn in the direction you came from – the ice there has already supported your weight;
- Lean on the edge of the ice floe with your arms spread wide;
- If there is a strong current, try to bend your legs;
- Lean on the edge of the ice floe with your chest, try to pull yourself up and alternately pull your legs onto the ice floe;
- After getting out of the water onto the ice, do not stand up and run immediately – move towards the shore by crawling or rolling.
When providing assistance:
- Inform the victim by shouting that you are coming to help – this will give them strength, call the rescue service by phone "101" or "112";
- Approach the ice hole cautiously, crawling on your stomach. At a distance of 3-4 meters, give the victim any available means (scarf, stick, etc.);
- After rescuing the victim from the water, warm them up: wring out wet clothes or change into dry ones, wrap them in a blanket.
It should be remembered that a person can die from hypothermia 15-20 minutes after falling into icy water.