Thin ice on Lake Simcoe, Ont., has led to a busy New Year for emergency services in the area. Between January 26 and February 3, the York Regional Police marine unit responded to three separate calls of individuals crashing through the ice on motorized vehicles.
These incidents don’t include calls responded to by other emergency services. Ramara Fire and Rescue Services out of Brechin responded to two back-to-back incidents on Lake Simcoe on January 30 and 31.
Most of the individuals rescued only suffered minor injuries, but during the February 3 incident, a male who was pulled from the water after his ATV fell through the ice near Duclos Beach died due to a medical emergency.
According to Staff Sergeant Aaron Busby with the York Regional Police, most people falling through the ice are operating machines, such as snowmobiles and ATVs. “Based on the warmer weather, the ice which has formed is insufficient to support the weight,” he says.
Tom Carr, the founder of Fatal Force Outfitters, a hunting and fishing guide company in the Lake Simcoe area, said in a Facebook post that he received five separate calls on January 31 from people looking for help getting their machines out of the water.
“The lake didn’t freeze as uniform as expected and has left the lake with many areas with one to two inches of ice,” he said in the post. “If you haven’t personally done your due diligence, I would highly suggest keeping all machines on dry land and off the main part of the lake.”
Photo Courtesy of Fatal Force Outfitters/Facebook
Due to warm weather, currents, and fluctuating depths, the York Regional Police said that ice thickness is not consistent across the whole lake. While some sections may support motorized vehicles, others will not.
For snowmobiles and ATVs, the Lifesaving Society recommends there be a minimum of at least 12 cm of ice. For ice fishing, there should be at least 10 cm, and anything less than seven centimetres should be avoided.
“Local ice hut operators are a good source for information on ice conditions,” says Busby. “However, the best information normally comes from local knowledge.”
If individuals do choose to go out onto Lake Simcoe, Busby recommends wearing a full flotation suit, carrying ice picks around their necks in case they fall through, having a fully charged cell phone in a waterproof container, and telling someone where they’re going and when they’ll be back.
“No surface of ice or body of water is ever completely safe,” York Regional Police said in a statement. “It is crucial that citizens take individual responsibility in evaluating the dangers of any recreational activity. If you make educated choices regarding safety, accidents can be prevented.”
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