Ice safety checklist

One page, black and white. Each line is a quote with its source beside it.

“Frozen bodies of water are never 100 percent safe to walk on. It is important to test ice thickness before venturing onto any frozen lake.”
Ohio DNR

This sheet prints no thickness figure. The agencies’ general figures, with their conditions, are at ohioicefishing.com/ice-safety/.

Before you leave

Know where you are going, how to get there and how to call for help; share this information with friends and family prior to departing. Coast Guard
Never walk onto the ice alone and prepare for the unexpected. Wear a life jacket or float coat. Carry a pair of ice picks or large nails in the event of falling through the ice. Ohio DNR

A foam life jacket or flotation suit may be the No. 1 item that will keep you alive if you fall through the ice. Most people who fall through the ice die of drowning – not hypothermia. Minnesota DNR
Carry two ice awls or screwdrivers. These instruments can aid in pulling yourself out of the water onto solid ice in an emergency and are more effective than hands alone. Coast Guard
Carry a whistle or noise-making device to alert people of distress and a waterproof VHF-FM radio or Personal Locator Beacon to contact local emergency responders. Coast Guard
A pair of emergency ice picks held at the ready on a cord around the neck are a safety must, as is an emergency length of rope. Cleveland Metroparks

Use a chisel to continually check the ice as you walk by stabbing the ice in front of you and making sure the chisel does not break through or make a large crack. Minnesota DNR
Checking as you walk with an ice chisel is not a substitute for measuring ice frequently with a tape measure. Minnesota DNR
Put the tape measure into the hole and hook the bottom edge of the ice before taking measurement. Minnesota DNR
Stay away from cracks, seams, pressure ridges, slushy areas and darker areas for these may represent areas of unstable ice. Coast Guard
Never assume the ice is safe, even if others are on it. Evaluate conditions for yourself and exercise sound judgement. Coast Guard

Don't remove your winter clothing. Heavy clothes won't drag you down, but instead can trap air to provide warmth and flotation. Minnesota DNR
Turn toward the direction you came. That’s probably the strongest ice. Minnesota DNR
Kick your feet and dig in your ice picks to work your way back onto the solid ice. Minnesota DNR
Lie flat on the ice once you are out and roll away from the hole to keep your weight spread out. Minnesota DNR
Get to a warm, dry, sheltered area and re-warm yourself immediately. Minnesota DNR

First, call 911 for help. Minnesota DNR
Resist the urge to run up to the edge of the hole. This would most likely result in two victims in the water. Minnesota DNR
Toss one end of a rope or something that will float to the victim. Minnesota DNR