Falling through ice can be a very-terrifying experience even if it happens in a shallow body of water near the shore. The reality is that while it may seem like a life-or-death situation, getting out of danger is usually a pretty simple and straightforward process. In fact, it’s when we complicate the simple that we run into trouble. Let’s take a look at a two-step process that is one of the most-effective ways to get out of the water without wasting precious time or energy.
The Cold Shock Response
Our brains essentially go into a hyper-emergency mode when our bodies are exposed to cold water. This is a primal reaction that is designed to protect our vital organs from the effects of hypothermia, but it can actually do more harm than good. In fact, more people die from mistakes made during these initial few seconds than from exposure itself. The response does three things. First, it causes us to gasp and lose control of our breathing. Next, it causes our heart rate and blood pressure to skyrocket before mental impairment sets in.
This combination can have deadly consequences if we’re not prepared to work through them ahead of time. The good news is that the cold shock response is more psychological than physical. Consequently, being able to control our thoughts can help us to fight off panic and control how the body reacts to the situation at hand. The single, best thing that we can do is force ourselves to avoid panicking before taking a few, deep breaths. The initial effects of the shock will wear off to the degree where we can remain calm and in control, but it requires a lot of intentional thought and effort to work through this phase.
Getting Out
It may seem counter-intuitive to remain still and calm while our bodies are submerged in ice-cold water, but we need to avoid thrashing around and panicking in order to get out as quickly as possible. Once you’ve regained at least some control over the situation, the next step is to lift your torso onto the ice with your arms extended in front of you with your elbows bent. This will maximize the surface area on the ice that your body covers while also distributing that weight as evenly as possible.
This helps to minimize the chances of causing the ice to break again, and it also makes it easier to slither up and out of the water. While you can dig and claw your way onto the ice, it’s still better to get as much of your upper body onto the ice as possible before trying to pull the rest of you out.
You also want to kick vigorously at the same time you’re positioning yourself onto the ice. Kicking not only propels the body forward, but it also helps to lift the lower body to the surface without the need to use abdominal muscles. This makes it a lot easier to pull yourself up and start to slither across the ice. It really is that simple.
While this technique is ideal in lakes that have a mostly-frozen surface that will be easy to grab on to, you can also use it in open water when you want to use a floating chunk of ice as a raft. Remember this trick the next time you’re heading out onto ice-covered water, and you’ll be in a much better position to emerge unscathed if you accidentally fall in.