How You Can Save Yourself In The Event You Fall Through Ice

Dec 19, 2018 by apost team

When it comes to cold weather and water, the fear of falling through ice is paramount in most of our minds. The idea of watching the ice we’re standing on crack and then separate beneath our feet isn’t pleasant, nor is the thought of battling to survive in the freezing cold water.

Thankfully, a very brave man decided to make a demonstration video on what happens when you fall into freezing water and how to get out of the water once you’ve fallen through the ice.

At the start of this video, the instructor explains what happens to your body when you first fall into the icy water.

First, he says, you will find yourself going into shock for one to three minutes. While this will cause you to breath so fast you may hyperventilate, survival depends on you resisting the urge and instead and do everything you can to stay as calm as possible.

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As you work to stay calm, you will need to find a solid portion of ice that you can cling to. Keeping your body horizontal, you will need to grab onto the ice and work to pull yourself up out of the water and onto the sheet of ice. Using your legs, you should kick the icy water to get yourself out farther onto the ice.

When you get out of the ice, your first instinct will be to stand up and run. The instructor explains not to try this since the ice maybe weak and might crack once again; instead, roll away from the hole so that your weight will be better distributed.

If you carry ice picks with you, you can use these to dig into the ice and pull yourself away on your stomach.

As soon as you get to the edge of the ice, you will need to get out of your wet clothes and find something warmer to wear.

While we appreciate the video creator’s mission to help those who have fallen through the ice, it’s important to remember that this video was made with help nearby.

No one should try this at home!

Are you worried about falling through the ice this winter? Watch the video yourself so that you can learn the best ways to survive when you find yourself surrounded by icy water. Have you ever fallen through the ice? Share your story below and help others!