Ice Safety Warning for Parents

Irish Water Safety is advising parents to supervise their children over the next few days as the current spell of cold weather begins to lift.

The safety authority says children will be tempted to play on the ice where it has frozen over many canals, ponds lakes and flooded areas, which can lead to hidden dangers.

According to the authority, playing on the frozen edges of a pond, lake or canal is perilous as ice can be quite thick in one area yet it can be much less within the same area.

Previous hard spells of weather have ended in tragedy where young children have fallen through the ice and drowned. The CEO of Irish Water Safety, John Leech is advising parents of young children to be aware of their whereabouts over the next few days to ensure they do not fall through the ice.

Also at risk are individuals who attempt to rescue others fallen through ice. Ice-related drownings occur when the rescuer gets into difficulty attempting to rescue another person or a family pet. Whereas a pet will often manage to scramble to safety unaided, regrettably, the owner may not.

(DW/KMcA)