SafetyBeginner
Emergency Preparedness
Build your ice fishing safety kit and know how to respond to emergencies on the ice.
8 min readUpdated December 1, 2024
In This Guide
Essential Safety Kit
Every ice angler should carry these items:
- Ice picks: Worn around neck for self-rescue
- Throw rope: 50+ feet for rescuing others
- Ice chisel or spud bar: For testing ice thickness
- Float suit or life jacket: Especially for early/late ice
- Whistle: To signal for help
- Cell phone in waterproof case: For emergency calls
- Extra dry clothes in a waterproof bag
- Hand/body warmers: For treating hypothermia
Rescue Procedures
If someone else falls through:
- Call 911 immediately
- Don't run to the edge - you may fall in too
- Reach, throw, row, go: Try safer methods first
- Use a rope, branch, or clothing to reach the victim
- Lie flat to distribute weight if you must approach
- Pull the victim onto the ice and roll them away from the hole
- Get them warm immediately
Important
- Never approach thin ice standing up
- Multiple rescuers have drowned trying to save one person
- Call for professional help - don't be a hero
Tags
safetyemergencyrescuegear
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