US Coast Guard issues thin ice warning

COMPASS CROSSEDTHE CENTER LINE ANDHIT A VAN.STILL NO SIGN OF AYOUNG BOY...PRESUMED TO HAVEDROWNED... AFTERFALLING INTO THEWATER ON THECANADIAN SIDE OFLAKE ERIE.POLICE SAY TWOBOYS... AN EIGHT ANDNINE YEAR OLD...WERE STANDING ONTHE EDGE OF AN ICEFIELD OVER THEWEEKEND... WHEN AWAVE SWEPT THEMINTO THE WATER.A COUPLE PASSING BYMANAGED TO RESCUETHE YOUNGER BOY...BUT THEY COULDN'TFIND THE NINE YEAROLD.THIS ALL UNFOLDED INPEACOCK POINT,ONTARIO.THAT'S ABOUT ANHOUR WEST OF PORTCOLBORNE.OUR RECENT COLDSNAP HAS CAUSEDTHIN ICE TO FORM ONLOCAL WATERWAYS...BUT AS SEVENEYEWITNESS NEWSREPORTER ED REILLYTELLS US... LOCALAUTHORITIES AREURGING PEOPLE TOSTEER CLEAR.IT IS SO THIN AND WEARE USE TO BEINGABLE TO WALK RIGHTOUT ON THAT ICE ANDSTAND ON IT WITH NPROBLEMA NEARLY ICE-FREEWATERFRONT ISCERTAINLY NOTSOMETHING PEOPLEIN BUFFALO ARE USETO SEEING IN MID-FEBRUARY.BUT THANKS TO A MILDWINTER - AREAS THATWOULD NORMALLY BECOVERED WITH ICEAND ICE-FISHERMENARE NOW OPEN-WATER.IT IS KIND OF COOLWALKING AROUND IN ASWEATSHIRT IN THEMIDDLE OF FEBRUARY,BUT IT IS ODDHOWEVER .

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OVERTHE LAST FEW DAYS .

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FRIGID WEATHER HASSTARTED FORMING ICEIN VARIOUS PLACESLIKE THE BUFFALORIVER .

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AT TIFTNATURE PRESERVE .

..AND ALONGBUFFALO'S OUTERHARBOR NEARWILKINSON POINT.IT WAS WARM WHEN ITWAS SUPPOSED TO BECOLD AND NOW IT ISCOLD WHEN ITSUPPOSED TO BEWARMAFTER A YOUNG BOYFELL INTO AN ICEFIELD IN ONTARIO ANDIS PRESUMED DEAD .

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THE U.S COASTGUARD IS WORRIEDTHAT PEOPLE ANDCHILDREN WILL TAKERISKS ON THIN ICE INWNY.WE ARE NOT SEEINGTHE LARGE ICEFORMATIONS THAT WEUSUALLY HAVE ONLAKE ONTARIO ANDLAKE ERIETHIN ICE HASCAUSED SERIOUSINCIDENTS IN OTHERPARTS OF NEW YORKSTATE.WE HAVE HADMULTIPLE CASESWHERE PEOPLE ANDSNOWMOBILES ANDATV'S HAVE FALLENINTO THE ICEWHILE IT MAY LOOKSPRING-LIKE OUTSIDE.

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FALLING THROUGHICE CAN STILL CREATEA LIFE-THREATENINGSITUATION BECAUSEOF HOW QUICKLYHYPOTHERMIA SETSIN.YOU ARE GOING TOONLY HAVE ONLYMANYBE MINUTES TOTRY AND GETYOURSELF OUTBEFORE HYPOTHERMIASTARTS TO KICK INPARENTS SHOULDMAKE SURE CHILDRENSTAY OFF ICE ON ANYBODY OF WATEIT IS NOT A TYPICALWINTER.

WE DON'THAVE THE ICETHICKNESS WE HAVESEEN IN OTHER YEARSFOR ICE FISHERMENWHO MIGHT "RISK IT" .

.MAKE SURE YOU HAVETHE PROPER SAFETYGEAR.IF YOU DO FALLTHROUGH THIN ICE.HOLD ONTO TO ICESHELF - DON'T GOUNDER.KICK YOUR FEET TOBUILD MOMENTUMAND CRAWL UP ONTHE ICE.KEEPING ROLLING ONTOP OF THE ICE AWAYFROM THE SPOT YOUFEEL IN.SO WE ARE STRESSINGHERE AT THE COASTGUARD, PLEASE STAYOFF THE ICE THISWINTER.EVEN THOUGH LOCALCREEKS AND STREAMSARE NOT AS DEEP ASTHE LAKES, THE COASTGUARD IS WARNINGPEOPLE TO STAY OFFTHOSE AS WELL.

IFYOU BREAK THROUGHTHERE, UNDERNEATHCURRENTS CAN PUSHAND PULL YOU UNDERTHE ICE.

IN BUFFALO,ED REILLY 7 EW