Northwest Iowa — In spite of this weekend’s cold spell, the ice conditions of many bodies of water across the area remain uncertain, and conservation officers are giving safety tips to avoid falling through the ice.
We talked to Iowa DNR Conservation Officer Chris Subbert, and he says there is no such thing as “safe” ice.
Subbert suggests a certain piece of ice safety gear.
A “spud bar” is a long-handle pole-type device. He says that due to the relatively warm conditions we had in December and in early January, ice conditions at this point are not thick enough to support a snowmobile or ATV, let alone a vehicle.
He says the sub-zero temperatures will help ice form.
But he says for vehicles to be on the ice, there needs to be 12 to 18 inches of ice on the water.
In fact, Subbert says if he is asked, he recommends never driving a vehicle on the ice.
When you do venture out on the ice, Subbert has a few reminders for you.
The Iowa DNR recommends a set of retracable ice picks so if you do fall in, you can pull yourself out of the water and up onto the ice.
