EAST GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A teenage girl was rescued from Reeds Lake after falling through the ice on Saturday, the East Grand Rapids Public Safety Department says.
In a release, the department said the rescue happened around 4:30pm near Lakeshore Drive, which is located on the west end of the lake.
Upon receiving a report of a person who had fallen through the ice, public safety personnel "immediately prepared the rescue air boat while patrol units responded to the scene to perform an assessment," the release said.
When an officer pulled up to the scene "within two minutes," he spotted a girl standing in waist-deep water around 15 feet from the shore.
The officer then called off the boat and the members of the public safety department, — wearing ice rescue suits — brought the girl safely to shore. A 13-year-old, she was evaluated by medical personnel and released to her parents.
"Public Safety reminds community members to exercise increased caution when venturing out on the ice," the release said.
On Friday, FOX 17 spoke to David Pelton, assistant chief of the Plainfield Township Fire Department, about safety on the ice.
"You could have an ice rescue almost anywhere in the county," Pelton said.
If you fall through the ice, Pelton says to stay calm.
"When panic sets in, that's when the drowning actually starts to happen," Pelton said.
In the situation where you cannot pull yourself out of the water, he says to support yourself by placing your arms on the ice, conserving energy and controlling your breathing.
If you can, call 911.
"The faster we can get to you, the better the outcome is," he said.
Given current conditions, Pelton says the best place to safely spend time on the ice is Rosa Parks Circle.
