FDNY and Parks Department Warns New Yorkers about the Dangers of Walking on Frozen Waters

Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro addresses the media at the safety announcement. He was joined by (L to R) Capt. Arthur Fitzpatrick, FF Chris Harkinish, FF Kevin Hillmann, NYC Parks Commissioner Mitchell Silver and Chief of Department James Leonard.

The FDNY joined the Parks Department on Feb. 6 to warn New Yorkers about the dangers of walking onto frozen waters in City parks during the winter months.

“And the sight of a frozen lake, pond, river or stream may seem enticing, but, in fact, it is very dangerous,” Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro said during the press conference at the World Ice Arena in Flushing Meadows Corona Park. “The water below is freezing. Exposure to it, especially in a panicked moment, can very quickly turn fatal.”

Ice must be at least six inches thick before it can maintain the weight of a person, and to freeze to the right thickness, the temperature must be well below freezing for weeks. Determining the strength of ice is extremely difficult, especially for an untrained individual.

Ice strength also is affected by the depth of the water, the size of the water body, the water’s chemistry, the distribution of weight on the ice, and local climatic factors.

“You’re not only risking your life, but the lives of our first responders, when you walk onto any frozen waterway,” NYC Parks Commissioner Mitchell Silver said.

The Commissioners reminded all New Yorkers to never walk onto frozen waters, and for parents and caregivers to ensure children are never unattended near ice.

If you are on the ice and hear cracking, they said to lie down immediately, to distribute your weight. And if you witness someone falling through the ice, do not attempt to rescue him/her yourself â€“ call 911 and notify the proper authorities.

To remind people of the dangers of thin ice, NYC Parks posted warning signs along the perimeter of many City lakes and ponds, and installed emergency call boxes at key locations.

Firefighter Kevin Hillmann, who was among the members of Ladder 54 who rescued a boy from the ice on the Bronx River on Jan. 29, attended the announcement.

He said he was happy they were able to reach the boy quickly, because situations like that do not always end so favorably.

“Things could have gone worse than they did, he was lucky,” he said.