DNR: No ice is safe ice

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) - Conservation officers want to remind everyone to be cautious when going out onto frozen lakes or ponds.

Patrick Heidenreich, with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, provided ice safety tips following a rescue from a frozen pond in Fort Wayne Saturday afternoon.

Heidenreich advises to use extreme caution when going out on the ice. The DNR suggests four inches of solid ice to support a person, six inches to support a snowmobile or ATV, and eight to ten inches to support a vehicle.

"Recent changes in the weather have caused ice to become unsafe. No ice is safe ice," Heidenreich said.

Parents should always keep an eye on their children and tell them to stay off the ice, the DNR advised.

Heidenreich said the best option for rescuing a child or person who fell through ice is to throw something at them to grab onto, whether it be a rope or a floatation device, and immediately call 911.

"You want to be a hero but at the same time, we don't want two victims in the water," Heidenreich said.

If ice is "black" and cloudy or slushy, the DNR advises everyone to stay off of it.