With drastically changing ice conditions occurring on the bay of Green Bay, the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and local authorities remind everyone that no ice is safe ice for walking or driving on. Brussels-Union-Gardner (BUG) Fire Department was dispatched shortly after 4:00 p.m. Wednesday to 1280 South Bay Shore Road in the town of Union for two individuals who had dropped their UTV halfway through the ice about a half-mile offshore. BUG Assistant Fire Chief Jim Wautier says the occupants of the UTV were able to walk back to shore and suffered no injuries. He notes that the ice conditions on the water are getting poorer and will probably get worse as high winds are in the forecast for later this week.
Wautier adds that Thursday’s call was thankfully not an ice rescue situation and that the UTV had not been retrieved off the ice as of 9:00 a.m. Thursday. The BUG Fire Department was able to leave the scene shortly after 4:30 p.m. after the ice anglers were safely onshore. The DNR recommends checking with local fishing clubs, outfitters and bait shops for current ice conditions before traveling onto any ice. You can find ice safety tips below.
- Make sure people know where you're going and when you'll return, and keep a charged cell phone with you. Do not travel to unfamiliar areas, and do not travel at night.
- Wear a personal flotation device or a float coat to help you stay afloat and to help slow body heat loss.
- Wear creepers attached to boots to prevent slipping on clear ice.
- Carry a spud bar to check the ice while walking to new areas.
- Carry a couple of spikes and a length of light rope in an easily accessible pocket so that, if needed, you can pull yourself or others out of the ice.
- If you fall in, remain as calm as possible and call for help while attempting to lift yourself out of the water. Anyone who attempts to rescue you should use a rope or something similar to avoid falling in as well.
