Dramatic video shows teen's rescue from frigid river in Smiths Falls

Police in Smiths Falls, Ont., are hoping a video showing the dramatic rescue of a teen who fell into the frigid Rideau River last week will prompt others to think twice before venturing onto thin ice.

The 14-year-old boy fell through while attempting to cross the river Friday afternoon. A harrowing video posted on Facebook by Smiths Falls police shows a firefighter crossing the ice to save the teen, who was clinging on for his life, as worried onlookers watched.

Police say the rescue was under way within seven minutes of the teen's friends calling 911.

"[He] was completely submerged in the water," said Andrew Fleming, the firefighter who first reached the teen. "The ice shelf was too brittle. It wouldn't hold our weight."

A second rescuer entered to water to help drag the boy to shore. He was out within 11 minutes of falling through the ice, rescuers say, and then taken to hospital to be treated for hypothermia.

Fleming said it was his first time rescuing someone from ice, but added the rescue went according to plan thanks to his extensive training.  

Smiths Falls Fire Chief Rick Chesebrough said the teen was lucky to escape with his life. 

"He had a lot of things working in his favour," Chesebrough said, noting the teen was with friends who quickly called 911. The fire station was fully staffed and stocked with brand new ice rescue equipment, he added. 

'Ice is always changing' 

On average, ice needs to be at least 10 centimetres thick to support the weight of one person. Even then, there's no guarantee it's safe to stand on, said David Humphrys, an instructor with Boreal River Rescue, which teaches ice safety and rescue courses.

"Ice is always changing," he said, adding that ice that's thick in one spot may not be thick across an entire body of water. 

Humphrys said if you do find yourself trapped, do your best to stay calm and call for help. He said it typically takes one minute to calm down, then you've got 10 minutes to self-rescue if help isn't there immediately.

Stay flat and lift yourself onto the ice in the direction you came from, then roll and crawl to safety. If self-rescue is unsuccessful at that point, your muscles will be too tired to continue trying and you have about an hour to wait for rescue.