First responders across the region are warning people to stay off frozen ponds, lakes, and rivers as temperatures drop. They warn that natural ice is unpredictable, thick in one spot and dangerously thin in another. Falling through can be deadly within seconds, because cold-water immersion quickly robs people of strength and coordination. Officials stress the only safe ice is at indoor rinks. The message is simple: don’t test it. Stay off the ice.
