WATERFORD — One man is injured and another is in stable condition after a water rescue in Tichigan Lake on Sunday morning, according to the Tichigan Volunteer Fire Company.
According to a release, the Tichigan Volunteer Fire Company responded to a MABAS call around 7:23 a.m. on Jan. 25 for a possible drowning in Tichigan Lake.
The caller said there was one man in the water and he could hear screaming for help, adding that he was attempting to grab some rope.
Once he was able to find rope, the fire company says he was then able to tie it around a nearby tree and throw the other end to man in the water.
At 7:27 a.m., the fire company says the man being rescued from the water was able to get onto a raft on top of the ice, but he was out of energy and being pulled into land by the caller. At 7:30 a.m., the man was off of the ice and safely on land where he was taken by EMS to an area hospital in stable condition.
The caller, meanwhile, suffered minor injuries while helping rescue the man from the ice.
According to the fire company, the two men involved in this water rescue went out on the ice and were setting up to go fishing when one of them fell through, crediting the caller's quick action in saving the man's life.
The fire company reminds you that although the weather has been cold, no ice is completely safe to go on, urging people to use caution before and while doing so.
Any ice under four inches in thickness is ice you should stay off, according to the fire company's guidelines.
At four inches thick, ice can be safe for walking, fishing or hiking, while between five and seven inches it can be safe for snowmobiles or ATVs and between eight and 12 inches it could be safe for a small car or truck.
To ensure the thickness of ice, the fire company recommends drilling or checking the ice with a spud bar every few steps.
It also urges you to stay away from inlets, outlets, bridges and areas with currents, as they create thin spots and to always carry ice picks and wear a life vest.
It also urges you to avoid slushy areas on the ice that are often weak and not frozen properly and to tread carefully on ice that is white or opaque, as it is only half as strong as clear or blue ice.
Just because others are on the ice does not mean that it is safe either, according to the fire company.
You should always ensure that the temperature near you has been consistently at freezing or below, as sustained warming into the 30s and above weakens ice.
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