RULES OF CONDUCT DURING ICE FORMATION

During the ice formation period, water freezes unevenly – in parts: first near the shore, in shallow areas, and then in the middle. On water bodies with still water (lakes, ponds), ice appears earlier than on rivers, where fast currents delay ice formation.

Children start walking and ice skating on thin, unformed ice, and amateur fishermen rush for underwater fishing. The first ice is not strong; it is thin and cannot withstand a person's weight. Anyone can fall through the ice: a fisherman, a tourist, a hunter, a local resident shortening their path on foot or by bicycle, or playing children.

Children's games on the ice, ice skating, and sledding are not allowed. Ice skating is permitted only on specially equipped rinks. Adults must know that underage children should not be near water bodies without adult supervision, regardless of the season. Leaving children in danger is punishable under Article 159 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus.

To avoid accidents, it is necessary to strictly follow simple rules when going out on the ice:

 - Before stepping onto the ice from the shore, it is necessary to ensure its strength. The strength of the ice is checked with an ice chisel, a pole, a ski pole, or an auger. If the ice breaks through upon impact and water appears on it, or if it cracks with the formation of fissures, it means the ice is thin. You should immediately stop and move back along your tracks, using sliding steps, without lifting your feet off the ice, with your feet shoulder-width apart to distribute the load over a larger area. It is forbidden to test the strength of the ice by stomping your feet. Ice with a thickness of 7-10 cm is considered safe for humans.

 - In all cases, before going onto the ice from the shore, it is necessary to carefully look around, plan your route, choosing safe places. You should avoid areas covered with a thick layer of snow – ice under snow is always thinner than in open areas. Special caution is required in places with fast currents, where streams flow in, groundwater and springs emerge, where wastewater and industrial discharge occur, near frozen sedge bushes, grass, snags, broken ice, etc. It is not recommended to go on the ice during a snowstorm or at night. Do not go down to the ice in unfamiliar places, especially from steep banks.

 - When crossing ice in a group, you should move at a distance of 5-6 meters from each other, carefully watching the person in front. It is safest to cross on transparent ice with a greenish tint.

 - It is recommended to cross water bodies on skis along a prepared ski track. In case of crossing on untracked snow, to ensure safety, you should unfasten ski bindings, remove ski pole straps from your wrists, and carry your backpack on one shoulder. The distance between skiers should be 5-6 meters. The skier in front checks the ice strength by tapping with their poles.

 - During ice fishing, it is not recommended to drill holes at close distances, as this weakens the ice's strength. The distance between holes should be at least 5-6 meters. Jumping, running on the ice, and gathering in groups are prohibited.

 Each angler, when going ice fishing, must carry a rope 15-20 meters long with a loop at one end and a weight of 400-500 grams at the other, as well as a life jacket or buoyancy aid.

We advise anglers to study the body of water chosen for fishing to know the depths and remember where the depth is not higher than a person's height or where it is possible to quickly exit to a shallow area leading to the shore from a deep spot. After fishing, place branches next to the ice holes to warn pedestrians of accidents.

• If you fall through the ice: do not panic, do not make sudden movements, stabilize your breathing, try to approach the edge of the ice hole from which the current flows. This is a guarantee that you will not be pulled under the ice. Reaching the edge of the ice hole, spread your arms to the sides, try to stick out of the water as much as possible to lean with your chest or back on the edge and throw one leg onto the edge of the ice, and then the other. If the ice holds, carefully rolling, slowly crawl towards the shore from where you came. Once on land, hurry to warm up somehow. Hypothermia can cause serious complications.

• When providing assistance to someone who has fallen through the ice, use any suitable object at hand: a stick, pole, rope, board, ladder, scarf, etc. Approach the point of breakthrough cautiously, crawling, to a distance that allows the person in the water to grasp the extended object. Carefully pull the victim onto the ice, and crawl out of the danger zone.

 If there is no warm shelter nearby, you should:

• undress and wring out your clothes thoroughly, as moving in wet clothing is more dangerous;

• build a fire or warm up by moving;

• rub yourself with your hands or a dry cloth, but not with snow.