Media Releases 2007

February 3, 2007

IBC holds ice rescue demo in Calgary and supports fire department’s water rescue efforts

CALGARY, AB – February 3: John Blaicher (a.k.a. “The Iceman”) makes a habit of plunging himself into ice-cold water in the middle of winter. One of Canada’s leading experts in water and ice safety, Blaicher was at Calgary’s Bowness Park Lagoon today to help Canada’s home, car and business insurers deliver an important message: Ice is never 100% safe. To avoid cutting a hole in the lagoon, he even brought along his own 300-gallon tub, filled with ice and freezing water.

Every winter, 25 to 30 Canadians die in ice-related events, and countless others fall through the ice and have close brushes with death. To help prevent these tragedies, Blaicher is on a 10-city tour this winter, teaching Canadians how to save themselves or others from icy water. The tour is part of the Be Smart. Be Safe. injury prevention program, sponsored by Insurance Bureau of Canada on behalf of Canada’s home, car and business insurers.

“Many factors influence the formation of ice, and each of the factors has a direct impact upon its strength, thickness and rate of erosion,” Blaicher told a shivering audience while immersed in his icy tub. “Ice in cities and towns is usually weaker and more dangerous than ice in rural areas. This is due to a number of factors, including salt from nearby roads, and more water movement because of ditches and sewage treatment plants.”

Blaicher warned people to stay off the ice in and around Calgary unless the ice is man-made on solid ground, or is maintained by knowledgeable personnel and checked regularly, like the ice at Bowness Park Lagoon. He also stressed that untrained rescuers should never venture onto the ice to try to rescue someone in difficulty. “This too often results in a double tragedy,” he said. “If you come across someone in trouble, you should call 911 immediately and advise the operator that it is an ice-related emergency.”

To thank the Calgary Fire Department for assisting with the demonstration, Michael Debolt of IBC, presented the fire department with a Mustang Ice Commander Suit to aid in water and ice rescues.

“We are pleased to support the important contribution the Calgary Fire Department makes every day to keeping our communities safer,” said Debolt.

For outdoor enthusiasts in Calgary and other parts of the province, Canada’s home, car and business insurers provided the following ice safety tips:

1. Use designated ice surfaces
For activities such as skating, many communities have designated ponds or outdoor ice surfaces that are maintained by knowledgeable personnel. Designated ice should be regularly tested to ensure that it is thick enough and strong enough for recreational use.

2. Measure ice thickness in several locations
Local conditions such as currents, temperature fluctuations, high winds and water depths can affect ice thickness. White ice has air or snow within it and should be considered suspect for recreational use. Consult knowledgeable local individuals about ice thickness and use the following rules as a guide:

3” (7cm) or less – STAY OFF
4” (10cm) – ice fishing, walking, cross-country skiing
5” (12cm) – one snowmobile or ATV
8”-12” (20-30cm) – one car or small pickup
12”-15” (30-38cm) – one medium truck (pickup or van)

3. High-risk ice areas to avoid
Avoid ice in the following areas: rivers; narrows where one pond or lake flows into another; farm dugouts; low-head dams; areas where schools of fish and waterfowl congregate; stormwater inlets and outlets to ponds; areas near thermal generating plants (heating, sewage and thermal-electric); and reservoirs.

4. Avoid travelling on ice at night or when it is snowing
Reduced visibility increases your chances of walking or driving into an area of open water or onto weak ice. This is a frequent cause of drowning for ATV and snowmobile users.

5. Wear a thermal protection buoyant suit or a lifejacket when on ice
While ice-fishing or operating a snowmobile, ATV or dirt bike on the ice, you should wear a buoyant suit. If you don’t have one, wear a lifejacket or PFD over your snowmobile suit or layered winter clothing to increase your chances of survival if you go through the ice.

6. Take safety equipment with you onto the ice
Bring along ice picks, an ice staff, rope, and a small personal safety kit that contains a pocketknife, compass, whistle, fire-starter kit and cellphone.

7. Avoid drinking alcohol on or near ice
Alcohol impairs your judgment, coordination and reaction time, putting you at greater risk of a mishap. Alcohol also speeds up the development of hypothermia.

8. Always supervise children playing on or near ice
Children should always be with a buddy and under adult supervision.

Remember that ice is constantly changing in response to weather and water conditions. That’s why ice is never 100% safe, even when you’ve tested its thickness. To guarantee your safety, the best advice is to stay off the ice.

Be Smart. Be Safe. is a national injury prevention campaign developed by Canada’s home, car and business insurers to reinforce the message that most injuries are preventable. The community outreach program visits cities and towns across the country to show Canadians what they can do to prevent injuries on the road, at home and at play.

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For further information please contact:
Ellen Woodger at 416-483-2358 or James Geuzebroek at 416-362-2031 ext. 4364.