With cooler temperatures on the horizon, the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service and the Winnipeg Police Service are reminding people to use caution when around frozen waterways.

“Ice is starting to form on the surface of all bodies of water and the ice thickness is completely unpredictable at this time of year,” said Assistant Chief Mark Reshaur, Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service (WFPS). “All residents should stay away from these surfaces and their banks.”

The city says that ice surfaces are thin and fragile and falling into cold ice water can be deadly.

“Staying away from the riverbanks, and off of any thin ice, is the only way to prevent the dire consequences of falling through,” said Patrol Sergeant Jason English, River Patrol Supervisor for the Winnipeg Police Service (WPS). 

Parents and teachers are encouraged to talk to children and students about the dangers of waterways, and dog owners are asked to keep their dogs on leashes while around thin ice.

Each year, the WFPS responds to approximately 200 water and ice safety calls for service.