Perth County OPP have issued a warning about the dangers of venturing out on the ice after reports of children playing on the partially frozen Maitland River.
Citizens at the Listowel Memorial Park, near Royal Street East, called police Tuesday out of concern for the safety of the kids due to the thin ice and open water.
A release from OPP says Venturing onto rivers, lakes, ponds or reservoirs can easily have fatal results. The temperature of the water is cold enough to take away your breath, leading people to panic, and then drown. Once submerged, your arms and leg go numb, which makes it impossible to swim. It also leads to hypothermia due to the reduction of body heat with the possibility of heart failure. This can happen to anyone even if you are a strong swimmer
. Even in shallow waters, a slip and fall on the ice could result in someone losing consciousness, increasing the risk of drowning.
Please make sure that you always put your safety as a priority and remember that no ice is safe ice.
Any citizens who see a dangerous condition are encouraged to contact the Perth County OPP at 1-888-310-1122, or 9-1-1 in an emergency.
