ALPINE TOWNSHIP, Mich — Seeing people jump through a hole in the ice usually means trouble here on Cranberry Lake, but that’s why the Alpine Township Fire Department is out here on the hardware, braving the cold. Training for the moment when seconds matter.
“Hypothermia is a big thing," Alpine Township Deputy Fire Chief Jeremy Kelly said. "I mean that shock to your system could send you into cardiac arrest.”
And that happens fast.
In water 40° or below, a person can start to lose feeling in their hands in less than 3 minutes and lose consciousness in as little as 15.
“They get cold," added Kelly. "They get cold really quick.”
That means Deputy Fire Chief Kelly and his team need to know what to do and how to do it without hesitation.
Like many departments around Michigan – they deploy several tools and tactics to save lives, including an inflatable raft, dry suits, and a rope and harness system.
But it still takes them time to respond. So, if you find yourself through the ice there are things you can do to help yourself until help arrives.
And to fully understand that, I put myself in the water.
"You don't want to put both arms up and push yourself out," Kelly said. "The best thing to do is to roll yourself out so you can dissipate that weight across the ice," explained Kelly. "A lot of people will try to get up on the edge and push their self up. The best thing to do is try to roll out and disperse your weight across the hole."
A good way to do that is using a pair of ice spikes, but if that doesn't work— or you don't have any—
“If you can't [get out of the water], try to conserve some of the energy,” said Kelly.
The most important thing to remember; be careful before you ever step foot on the ice.
Tell someone where you are going before you get on the ice. Look for about 4-6" of ice thickness to make sure you keep your head above water, and pay attention to that forecast.
"We have these drastic changes in temperatures. The ice actually becomes more brittle. So you could have 3 or 4" of ice, and it might not have the weight capability of a typical 4" of ice that you would see," added Kelly.
"Preparation by both you and our first responders can help keep more sticks on the ice this winter – rather than underneath it.
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