For More Outdoor Information, and Sporting Licenses 24 Hours A Day, 7 
Days A
Week, Please Visit www.mefishwildlife.com

For More Information, Please Contact:
Mark Latti
Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
mark.latti@maine.gov
207-287-6008
pager 818-9617
fax 207-287-6395
284 State Street
41 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333



For Immediate Release
January 4, 2006  

Maine Warden Service urges you to check the ice before heading out on 
the
ice 

AUGUSTA, Maine -- Despite colder temperatures, ice conditions still 
vary
throughout the state, and are even dangerous in some areas. Rain and 
snow
over the past ten days have combined to make ice conditions 
unpredictable,
and currently the Maine Warden Service is recommending that people 
check the
thickness of any ice before venturing out for any activity on frozen 
water.

"Ice conditions are unpredictable this time of year, and before you 
head out
on the ice, you need to check in several places to make sure that it is
safe," said Colonel Tom Santaguida, Chief of the Maine Warden Service. 

Ice conditions vary even on the same pond or lake, depending on the 
location
of streams and underground springs which can wear away ice. Snow can 
also
weigh ice down, creating a slushy quagmire. Rains raise water levels 
within
a lake, making shoreline ice unsafe. Snow can also conceal thin ice - 
just
because there is snow on the ice does not mean that it is safe. Larger,
deeper lakes also take longer to freeze due to the large amount of 
water
that must cool down, and wind conditions which prevent lakes from 
freezing.

Follow these tips for ice safety this season: 

*	 Never guess the thickness of the ice - Check it! Check the ice in
several different places using an auger or some other means to make a 
test
hole and determine the thickness. Make several, beginning at the shore, 
and
continuing as you go out.
*	
*	*	Check the ice with a partner, so if something does happen,
someone is there to help you. If you are doing it alone, wear a 
lifejacket.
*	
*	If ice at the shoreline is cracked or squishy, stay off! Watch out
for thin, clear or honeycombed ice. Dark snow and dark ice are other 
signs
of weak spots.
*	
*	Avoid areas with currents, around bridges and pressure ridges. Wind
and currents can break ice.
*	
*	Parents should alert children of unsafe ice in their area, and make
sure that they stay off the ice. If they insist on using their new 
skates,
suggest an indoor skating rink.
*	
*	If you break through the ice, remember:
*	
*	Don't panic
*	
*	Don't try to climb out immediately - you will probably break the ice
again. Reach for solid ice.
*		
*	Lay both arms on the unbroken ice and kick hard. This will help lift
your body onto the ice. Once on the ice, roll, DON'T WALK, to safety.
*	
*	To help someone who has fallen through the ice, lie down flat and
reach with a branch, plank or rope or form a human chain. Don't stand. 
After
securing the victim, wiggle backwards to the solid ice.