juneau county dive team - ice safety

Cold Water / Ice Rescue Training Program

Juneau County Dive Team

Richard Kohutko, Chief30 years of scuba diving experience

Rescue DiverIce DiverMaster DiverSpecialty Diver

• Underwater Photography• Evidence Preservation

Former President, Juneau County Sheriff ’s Dive TeamOwner, OSR Systems


Introduction

Juneau County has over 57 lakes – the 2nd & 4th largest lakes in Wisconsin, which encompass 39,680 acres (62 sq. miles) with a max depth of 42 ft. – and hundreds of rivers and streamsPotential for individuals to come in contact with ice-covered waters is high


There is NO such thing as ‘Safe’ Ice


Juneau County’s Black Water Diving

Black Water diving is intimidating and not many can do it, but it’s okay. Do not let your ego push you into danger!Due to the make-up of the water and the amount of silt reduces visibilityThe team normally operates in zero visibility conditions


Basic Ice Rescue Training

Ice Formation

Water to Ice

Water has very unique characteristics. It has the ability to transform from a solid to a liquid to a vapor in a matter of minutes.


Why is water so different than most other substances?

Water Ice


Thermoclines – Levels of thermoclines are the:Epilimon - Top level of warmer waterMetalimnion – Middle level of cooler waterHypolimnion – Bottom level of colder water

This holds true in most all bodies of water, except in winter. Because of water’s unique properties to almost defy the laws of physics, the Hypolimnion colder water will be under the ice and the Metalimnion cooler water will be at the bottom. In other words, colder water stays on top of warmer water.


Kinetic EnergyThe total heat of a fixed mass

Heat is the total energy of all the particles

Which will melt faster given equal temperature?


Ice FormationNew ice is usually stronger than old ice

Ice seldom freezes uniformly. It may be a foot thick in one location and only an inch or two just a few feet away.Ice formed over flowing water and currents is often dangerous. This is especially true near streams, bridges and culverts. Also, the ice on outside river bends is usually weaker due to the undermining effects of the faster current.Snow insulates ice and slows down the freezing process. The extra weight also reduces how much weight the ice sheet can support. Also, ice near shore can be weaker than ice that is farther out.Booming and cracking ice isn't necessarily dangerous. It only means that the ice is expanding and contracting as the temperature changes.


Temperature Drops, What Happens?

Vertical circulation continues until water is isothermal at 4 degrees C. When water drops below 4 C. it loses density and remains at the surface. Ice expands 9% when freezing and becomes less dense than the water below it, causing it to float. As ice forms, it develops a thermocline below it between 0-4 C.


Factors for Ice Strength

Do not base ice safety on ice thickness alone!• Wind• Snow Accumulation• Air Temperature• Water Body Level, Depth, and Size• Current and Springs

•River ice is approximately 15% weaker than lake ice!• Dams and Man-Made Obstruction/Interference• Wildlife


SnowWill act as an insulator and prevents ice from thickeningCovers hazardous locations and open areas“Brown Snow”


Underground SpringsActive or Passive: will thin ice, circulating warm water. They will create open water or simply thin ice.


Pressure Ridges

Ice expands and buckles from too much force or heaves together, leaving small ridges on top of the ice


Lake Ice


River Ice


Main River ChannelsBecause these are usually narrow or deep areas, water is forced to move more quickly and causes thin ice conditions. Always avoid these areas, especially where they enter or exit a larger body of water. Main river channels are usually man-made or are natural geographically. They always are the last to freeze and the first to thaw. (uncharted areas) Check with your local DNR for maps of their locations


Rivers and StreamsWarm spells will heat up a main river and streams, and north ends of lakes and ponds. This speeds up the flow of water and etches the ice thinner. The ice will always be open or thin in these areas and will possibly re-freeze over when the weather changes, leaving a thin ice condition or BLACK ICE. What is spidering?


High Speeds

The weight depresses the ice, displacing the water beneath it. This creates a pressure wave which can fracture the ice in front of the object especially when approaching shallow areas. Never exceed 5 mph coming off the ice.

Resonance Wave

If one object vibrating at a certain frequency is brought near another object that has the same natural frequency, the second object can be made to vibrate as well.Do not exceed 20 mph.


Currents and Their Effect – Peninsulas, islands, and shallow sand bars that extend out into a larger body of water can cause hazardous conditions. These conditions are caused by the water’s increase in flow over these areas to keep up with the force of the main body of water in the deeper areas. As the water passes over these areas, an eddy or vortex effect can occur as the water deepens on the lee-ward or back side of these areas, causing a thin ice condition.


Vortex


How would you approach and island or peninsula?


Ice Advice

No Ice is Safe!It is impossible to ascertain if the ice is the same thickness in your desired travel paths; factors influence the thicknessNever go out alone:

Tell a buddy where you are going; what you are doing; who will be with; and when you will return or call to check in

Do not group togetherDo not take vehicles onto ice



Ice Cold:Snowmobile and Other Vehicular Traffic


Preparation

Go out with a buddyCarry a cell phone (charged and in a Ziploc/other waterproof bag) attached to your personCheck the river channels and other locations for possible thin ice (DNR)NEVER go on the ice at nightCarry thermal blanket


Snowmobile

Travel single fileLargest man 1stTravel slowly

Increased speeds cause pressure waves under the ice which thins it

Do not consume alcohol or drugs


Vehicles

Use all safety steps as previously mentioned, ANDCheck with your insurance companyUnlock your doorsRoll down ALL your windows!Do NOT wear your seatbelt


Vehicles

Some insurance plans will not cover you if your vehicle goes through the ice.Rolling down your windows and keeping your seatbelt off allows you to escape easily.

What happens is that when a vehicle becomes submerged, the water pressure envelopes that vehicle so tightly that you CANNOT open your doors. The only option is to break or crawl out of the window. So, make it easy and keep the windows down. Make it easier and simply do NOT take the vehicle out.



Incident Management

What Happened?

If you are a Witness to an ice-related emergency…

1. Call 911 Immediately2. Make a difficult

decision 1. Choosing between a

rescue and self preservation is a decision only you can make


Difficult DecisionsRescue (Only When Victim

is Visible!)

3. If possible, put on a PFD (flotation device)

4. Get some rope or other reaching device

5. Crawl on the ice to distribute your weight

6. Assist person out of ice water

7. Seek immediate medical attention

Do NOT Rescue

3. Coach individual out of water, keep them calm

4. Throw PFD if possible5. LSP (last seen point) mark

the location with GPS, markers, or other techniques

6. Stay away from location7. Wait for emergency

responders


What to Do?

Coaching an individual out of water will be discussed in next slides.Try to remain calm yourself and gather your thoughts (write them down)Do Not let other bystanders or witnesses influence your memory of what happened



Ice Cold:Hypothermia/Self-Rescue/Victim Care


HypothermiaMild

Body 95°FAlert, Shivering, Able to Grip

ModerateBody 90-95°FConfused, Dilated Pupils, Shivering Uncontrollably, May be Unable to Grip

SevereBody 85-90°FNo Shivering, Rigid Muscles, Dilated Pupils, Drugged/Drunk, Barely Conscious, Unable to Move/Respond to Commands


Water Dissipates Heat from the Body 20 times Faster than Air

Water Temp Expected Time Before Exhaustion/Unconsciousness

(°F) (°C)

32.5° 0.3° 15 minutes cooling @ .8° per min.

32.5–40° 0.3–4.4° 15-30 minutes cooling @ .4° per min.

40–50° 3.3–10° 30-60 minutes cooling @ .2° per min.

50–60° 10–15.6° 1-2 hours cooling @ .1° per min.

If you cannot get yourself out of the water, stay immobile and curl your body into itself to slow the loss of body heat.


Body Heat Loss

When too much heat is lost, the heart extracts blood from the extremities, then the brain, to keep the core (chest) warm. A sudden rush of blood back to the extremities leads to cardiac arrest.


Self Rescue

Tread WaterTry not to gasp, go to strong ice, put arms onto ice

Kick and PullFrog kick to get your body horizontal

Horizontal Kick Continue to kick and pull yourself out

Roll Onto IceDistribute your weight and roll/crawl to safety


Self-Rescue


Near DrowningSurvival and Struggle

Victims who do not struggle while drowning burn less oxygen and are more likely to surviveOxygen preserves brain function and survivability rate


Near Drowning

The colder the water, the greater chance for survivalConduct CPRTreat hypothermiaAssess injuries


Victim Care

DO

Be GentleRemove Wet ClothingDry Victim QuicklyWrap in Warm Insulation

DO NOT

Rub or MassageApply Heating to SkinGive Alcohol or StimulantsNo Smoking


Victim CareAfter Drop

After Drop is improper handling and treatment of the victimIt occurs when blood rushes from the extremities to the heart, causing a cooling processIt can cause cardiac arrest


18th Wisconsin Snowmobile Death in 2013-14 winter season

Spent 30 minutes in Ice Water and Died


SnowmobilesIce-Related Incidents = 25%

Wisconsin DNR 2013-2014


Q&AWhich of the conditions cause most incidences.

1)Main River Channel ( currents )

2)Pressure Wave ( resonance wave )

3)Rivers and Streams4)Underground Springs

How many lakes does Juneau County have?

1)27

2)573)63

4)41

What’s the safest thing you could do to avoid an ice-related incident?

1)Go with a buddy

2)Do not take cars, trucks, or large vehicles on the ice3)Stay off the ice

4)Avoid open water areas


Juneau County Dive Team Ice Safety Tips

Most of all, Remember This; There is no such thing as, safe ice.

“So you have to be safe!” SAFE ICE !!!!!!!!! IS A MYTH !!

If you were to only take away ONE thing from this, stay off the ice! This presentation will help you understand how we operate, identify the hazardous areas, how to prepare to go out on the ice, how to get yourself out, how to care for yourself, and care for others.

Feel free to Call, Email, or Meet with us. We are more than happy to assist you.

Phone: Email:


Thank You! Be Safe!


juneau county dive team - ice safety

Government & Nonprofit

flowing water

bodies of water

ice forms

ice sheet

level of colder water

hypolimnion colder water

metalimnion cooler water

cracking ice isnt