INGLESIDE – An elderly man was rescued after his truck went through the ice at the mouth of Hoople Bay Tuesday afternoon (Jan. 17).
SD&G O.P.P. officers were called to the popular ice fishing spot along County Road 2 after a Jeep, driven by a 74-year-old man, partially broke through the ice.
A man in his early 20s jumped into action as helped pull the man from his truck. He has been identified in other media reports as Joshua van de Glind.
The man was not injured and the vehicle was pulled out the next day, police said.
Provincial police are reminding ice users that they should check before venturing out.
With unseasonably mild temperatures this week, the ice will likely be unsafe in many areas.
Here are some things police want you to remember before venturing out on the ice:
- Don’t trust the ice—always be aware of the thickness and quality of ice to reduce risk of breaking through, Where ice is checked for thickness, obey posted signs on when and where ice surface is acceptable for activities.
- Avoid any open holes in lakes and rivers.
- Avoid traveling on any ice in non-daylight hours.
- Be aware of currents and/or tides as these locations cannot be trusted to have consistent ice thickness.
- Check the ice thickness Many ice fishers will drive a motor vehicle, snowmobile or ATV to their fishing hut. No activity should be carried out on ice less than 15cm thick. In the presence of snow on ice, the minimum thickness would need to be doubled to 30cm.
- Wear a flotation device and cold protection suit, even if you’re fishing from shore or on thick ice.
- Carry rescue equipment: This includes ice picks, a rope, a cell phone (in a waterproof container) and a first aid kit. Other safety equipment to be considered includes: flashlight, waterproof matches/lighter, tool kit, candles and survival blanket.