Winnipeg Police Service and Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service remind citizens to be cautious around icy bodies of water

Winnipeg, MB - As mild temperatures continue, citizens are advised that conditions are exceptionally hazardous on all Winnipeg waterways, including the floodway, drainage ditches and culverts, streams, creeks, retention ponds, and rivers.

At today's water rescue demonstration, members of the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service and Winnipeg Police Service showed how quickly walking on or near waterways can become a life-threatening situation.

�All water and ice rescue calls carry a degree of risk for our members,� said Chief John Lane, Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service. �These are preventable incidents with sometimes tragic consequences. Areas of the river that appear calm can carry dangerous currents, and ice thickness is unpredictable at this time of year, so there really is no reason to be near the water.�

�Ice that is a foot deep in one location can be razor thin only a few feet away,� said Patrol Sergeant Kevin Pawl, Winnipeg Police Service. �Only approved areas that have been tested for use should be considered safe.�

Parents and teachers are urged to speak to children and students about the dangers of waterways. The ice surfaces are thin and fragile, and falling into ice-cold water can be deadly.

The Fire Paramedic Service responds to an average of 200 water and ice safety calls each year.

For information on thin ice safety, please visit Winnipeg Police Service - River Patrol or contact the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service - Public Education Branch at 204-986-2096.