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U.S. Coast Guard Offers Ice Safety Tips

By KBJR News 1
January 29, 2013 Updated Jan 29, 2013 at 6:17 PM CDT

Duluth, MN (NNCNOW.com)
This weekend's tragedy in the icy waters of Lake Superior has the U.S. Coast Guard focused on spreading ice safety tips.
First and foremost, the Coast Guard wants people to be suspicious of all ice.
Visually gauging ice thickness is nearly impossible.
They stress remembering the acronym of "ICE".
The "I" stands for intelligence. Let people know where you are going.
The "C" stands for clothing. A dry suit is great for protecting people from cold water.
The "E" stands for equipment. Wear ice picks around your neck to rescue yourself.
And, just like in summer, a life jacket is important.
"Having a life jacket is going to dramatically increase the probability of survival as well as lessen the amount of energy you're going to expend while trying to survive." said BM1 Jonah Farkas of Coast Guard Station Duluth.
Other important pieces of survival gear include a water proof two way radio and a locator beacon.

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