Calgary Fire crews responded to a call for help from a woman who had fallen through the ice on Calgary’s Elbow River on Thursday.
The woman had been out for a walk in Discovery Ridge just before 2 pm when she accidentally broke through the ice, a release from the City of Calgary states.
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She was able to call 911 for help, as she had her cellphone on her at the time, and gave dispatchers a description of her location.
The woman stayed on the phone with the dispatcher until fire crews arrived, who managed to free her from the icy waters.
She was then transported to waiting EMS personnel via an all-terrain vehicle.
The release warns citizens to be aware of warming spring temperatures that are causing ice to thaw on rivers, lakes, and ponds throughout the city, and that they should stick to designated pathways and away from riverbanks and shorelines.
The release also included a step by step guide for what to do in the event that you accidentally fall through ice:
- Stay calm and try to keep your head out of the water and control your breathing.
- Call for help and keep your hands on the ice shelf.
- Try to pull yourself up on the ice on your stomach and roll towards the shore, where the ice may be thicker.
- If you can’t get out of the water in less than 10 minutes, stop kicking and trying to pull yourself out, and anchor yourself to the ice shelf. Continue to call for help.
If you see someone fall through ice, the release recommends that you stay back, call 911, and toss a branch or rope to the person if they manage to get out of the water and onto the ice.