North Battleford Fire Department has issued a news release urging people to use caution in activities around or on the ice.
Skating, ice fishing and riding snow machines across frozen bodies of water are considered high risk right now, according to the fire department. This is attributed to factors such as water current flow, depth of water, mild temperatures and melting and freezing cycles making the current ice brittle and unstable.
The department is urging extreme caution at this time and making sure safety measures are in place such as:
Making sure someone knows where you are.
To carry a cellphone in a waterproof carrier.
If possible, test the ice first for depth and have an emergency kit with you and your party.
If you end up in the water, do your best to stay calm and get to the edge, and try to remove yourself from the water.
If you witness someone fall through the ice, call 911.
Around moving bodies of water such as rivers, the fire department states that a rule of thumb is that the ice is never safe and you should avoid activities on and around them.
