THE BATTLEFORDS — With temperatures hovering around freezing in the Battlefords region, the City of North Battleford’s Director of Protective Services has issued a caution for individuals accessing bodies of water in the area.
“There are a number of lakes around our community, and the river in our city is freezing but currents are still fast flowing preventing consistent ice formation,” said Chief Lindsay Holm.
“This creates extremely hazardous conditions. In addition, there are many sloughs that are freezing up but are not close to being thick enough to support the weight of a person or people, and ice does not freeze in uniform thickness. We are advising the public to avoid these areas at this time in an effort to be as safe as possible."
According to the Government of Saskatchewan, ice thickness guidelines are as follows:
• 4 inches or 10 centimetres - supports one person
• 8 inches or 20 centimetres - supports one snowmobile or ATV
• 12 inches or 30 centimetres - supports one car
• 12 inches + or more than 30 centimetres - supports a pickup truck
Any ice that looks slushy, has thawed and re-frozen, is layered, or is part of a pressure ridge should be considered unsafe.
“The City of North Battleford appreciates the public’s diligence and attention,” noted Chief Holm.
“Keeping these safety tips in mind and adhering to advisories from emergency services can prevent tragedies and minimize risk for our community members.”
