DNR: Remember To Talk To Your Kids About Ice Safety

(KDLM) – The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is asking you to talk to your kids about ice safety this holiday season and avoid tragedy.

“We always want to remind parents and adults at home to keep an eye on their kids to talk to them about the ice and the danger that it poses,” says DNR Ice Safety Coordinator Nicole Biagi. “Kids are naturally curious about ice and if your kids are near the ice you should be near your kids.”

Biage says while ice is never 100% safe, the early stages of freezing are particularly dangerous. If you want to get out and enjoy the ice, wait until there are at least four inches of it before walking out.

“A life jacket or a float coat will help you stay above the water if you fall in,” Biage adds. “Ice picks will help you climb out and bringing a rope is also helpful if somebody else falls in and you have a chance to help them get out of the water.”