As winter closes in on Wisconsin, many look forward to using frozen lakes for recreation. Those doing so need to exercise caution, however, as thin ice can be deceiving and dangerous in early winter.
The danger manifested Monday morning, when a man fell through the ice of Monona Bay. The man was about 200 yards from shore when the ice gave away. He struggled in the water for about 15 minutes before rescuers pulled him out, according to the City of Madison Fire Department.
Calls for ice rescues come in across the state at this time in the season every year.
'An ice rescue at this time of year is very difficult. It is hard for rescuers not to go through the ice,' said Lori Wirth, Public Information Officer for the Madison Fire Department. 'Our rescuers wear specialized equipment to guard against cold water and ice, but most people don't have access to that kind of equipment.'
'This is a bad time to be going out on the ice because we really can't say for certain that it is safe. You really need a lot longer to make sure that that ice is thick enough,' Wirth added. 'The best advice is: Don't go out there.'
Many ice fishermen take to the ice early'when ice fishing is generally understood to be at its best. People also head out on the ice with their all-terrain vehicles and snowmobiles, and to go ice skating. So far this winter, three fatalities have been reported in Wisconsin due to people falling through thin ice.
On Nov. 25, a 10-year-old girl and her 44-year-old father died while ice skating on about three inches of ice on a pond near Cedar Grove. The pair drowned after the father fell in trying to save his daughter who had broken through the ice. The same day in Waldo, a 12-year-old boy on an ATV broke through ice while driving on a pond. The boy was pulled from the water but later died at Children's Hospital in Milwaukee.
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources issues warnings every year about early-ice. They recommend wearing flotation gear and carrying tools for pulling themselves out should they break through. The DNR recommends waiting until colder weather to enjoy activities on frozen lakes.
