HomeMy WebLinkAboutLakeshore Advance, 2013-02-27, Page 15Wednesday, February 27, 2013 • Lakeshore Advance 15
Beware of thin ice, fast water and slippery slopes
Gord Whitehead
OMI Agency
"We need everyone to slake good decisions
around water.'
11ow can vc argue with that statement by Denise
Iszczuk after hearing that falls int() cold water kill
200 Canadians a year and that drowning is the sec-
ond leading killer of children under age 14?
lszczuk, conservation education technician for
Ausable Rayfield Conservation Authority, has
launched another season of her Spring Water
Awareness Program which may need a name
revamp if the rapidly alternating freezes and thaws
of this winter and last persist.
Presented at schools which accent the no -charge
Orogranl, SWAT' graphically warns children about
the dangers of venturing near waterways and onto
ice of questionable thickness.
On the presumption that people can't resist
adventures on ice, the AIWA program recom-
mends that ice thickness he measured and that if it
is Tess than seven centimetres (three inches) it
should be avoided. Ten centimetre thickness is safe
for walking or cross-country skiing, 12 centimetres
for snowmohiling and 20 to 30 centimetres for driv-
ing a car or small truck.
!lave an adult check if the ice is thick enough,
the students are advised. Never go out at night on
ice or unknown areas. Never go out alone... use the
buddy system. Have a backup plan. Tell someone
where you are going and when you expect to
return.
"'fake safety equipment with you and have it
ready;" Iszczuk tells the students. She lists life jack-
ets, ropes, first aid kits, cell phones, snacks, hot
drinks, helmets, whistles, ice picks and even hockey
sticks.
If you fall through ice, do not panic, get
Gord Whitehead
Denise Iszczuk, conservation education technician for Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority, shows some of the safety equipment that hikers
or playing children would be wise to take with them when venturing on or along waterways when Ice may be thin or currents raging. Iszczuk
has begun presenting her Spring Water Awareness Program to schools In the ABCA's coverage area.
breathing under control, try to position yourself at
the strongest part of the ice, lift yourself out of the
water and get to the shore. You face the stages of
cold shock, incapacitation and hypothermia, the
silent killer.
If you see someone fall in, shout for help, call
9-1-1, throw something in they Gran reach and you
West Perth's Mike Tam elected Vice Chair
of Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority
Dave Frayne of South Huron
returns as Chair of the local
conservation organization
or visit ahca.on.ca for information.
The Ausable Rayfield Conservation Authority is
an independent, corporate body established
under Ontario's Conservation Authorities Act.
Local municipalities identified the need for such
ABCA an organization in 194(1 to deal with serious prop
lents of flooding, soil erosion, water supply, and
The Board of Directors of Ausable Rayfield (:on- water quality. 'Twelve member municipalities
servation Authority (ARCA) re-elected Dave appoint the members of the local hoard of direc
Frayne as Chairman at the February 21 Annual tors that governs AB(:A.
Meeting and the board elected Mike Thin as Vice- 'This local conservation agency is the Iirst of 36
Chair. Frayne, a councillor with the Municipality conservation authorities formed across Ontario.
of South Huron, represents South l luron and Perth Ausable Bayfield Conservation's 014'0 enconl
So11t11 on the hoard of the local conservation passes the drainage basins of the Ausable River,
organization. Tam is a councillor with the Munici- Bayfield River, Parkhill (;reek, and the gullies that
pality of West Perth and represents that munici- drain directly to Lake Huron, from an area nut th of
pality on the hoard. Bayfield to an arca south of (rand Bend. The
The conservation authority also welcomed ilur- 2,440 -square -kilometre area of jurisdiction is
khard Metzger to the hoard as the new represents- largely rural with a population of about •15,01)0. A
tive for the Municipality of Central Huron. group of 34 community inc in hers stet over a
Ausable Bayfield Conservation works closely 12 -month period to create a Conservation Strategy
with landowners and residents in the watershed to to guide the organization and blaze the trail for a
protect soil, water, and living things by creating mission and vision for the work in the watershed:
awareness and taking positive action together. 'ihe Mission
local agency is unveiling the new Watershed Protect, improve, conserve, and restore the
Report Card, which is released every five years, at watershed in partnership with the contntunity.
the annual Conservation Awards evening on Vision
'Thursday, March 21. You are invited to phone the 1lealthy watersheds where our needs and the
office at 519-235-2610 or toll-free 1-688-286-2610 needs of the natural environment are in balance.
alight be able to pall.
Isici.uk shows a video of a %valet safety
expert who demonstrates how d1111(1llt
it was for hint to lilt himself out 01 tt hole
in the ice and tells viewers that water
cools body tempt.' aline 21) tunes Castel
than ail %%lll'n both are at comparable
temperatures.
in the past seven years, the S\Vi\P
message has been presented to more
than 1.1,500 students in 2.1 Ausable Bay-
1ield watershed elenu'11t01\' schools. "1
sat v almost 2,500 kids last year, the high-
(%
ligll
esever;' Isxc/ilk
told '1he ;\dvance.
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