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The Great lakes are starting to freeze, and so are bodies of water throughout Lucas County. Ice can be dangerous and unpredictable, and the Coast Guard has some important safety tips for those planning activities on frozen waters this season.

The Coast Guard encourages people to remember the acronym ICE, which breaks down as follows:

I – Intelligence: check the weather and ice conditions, know where you are going, and know how to call for help/assistance.

C- Clothing: wear the proper anti-exposure clothes with multiple layers. If possible, wear a dry suit to prevent hypothermia, which can occur within minutes after falling through the ice.

E – Equipment: have the proper equipment such as a marine band radio, life jackets and screw drivers.

Michigan has already reported several incidents this year of people falling through ice into the frigid water below. On December 28th, a man and his cousin's dog plunged into the Huron River in Southeastern Michigan when the thin layers of ice broke. Divers in Groveland Township recovered the body of a 63-year-old man on Tuesday afternoon, who broke through the ice on Hartwig Lake while fishing on New Year's Day.

Officials in Lucas County also offer warnings of caution.

"There is no such thing as safe ice," said Maumee Fire Chief Rick Monto. He advises those who do venture onto the ice to never go alone and to take smaller, rather than bigger steps. He recommends, "Carry a personal flotation device and a pair of Ice-Awls, so in case you do go through you can pull yourself up."

Rossford Fire Chief Jim Verbosky anticipates participating in an ice-safety training drill later in January. 

"Last year is the first time the river didn't freeze in many years. Most of the fire departments around here, our ice-rescue component of it, we didn't even get in the water to do any training last year," said Verbosky. "We want to make sure that parents talk to their kids about staying off the ice, the ponds, the rivers, because the ice is just not safe."

The Coast Guard also trains crews and utilizes specialized assets to execute various ice rescue missions.