Here's what to do if you fall through ice, or need to save someone else

Warmer conditions this winter have left ice unstable on many waterways across the country, which has safety experts reminding people of the dangers of falling through ice. 

Last week in Ottawa, two teens died after falling into on the Rideau River. 

In recent weeks, a family in Alberta also died after their utility terrain vehicle went through thin ice, while a man died after falling through ice on Onwatin Lake near Sudbury, Ont., on New Year's Day.

Although ice may look fully frozen, it can actually be too thin to support someone's weight. That's why it takes a lot of experience to determine if it's safe, said a founder of Boreal River Rescue, which conducts ice safety and rescue training.

If you find yourself in the unfortunate situation of falling through ice, Danny Peled took CBC through several steps to keep in mind. 

The 1-10-1 rule

Rescuers will often reference the 1-10-1 rule — one minute, 10 minutes and one hour — which breaks down how to approach your time in the water.

First, it's important to keep breathing. 

"The first minute, you really want to just think about not drowning. Sounds pretty obvious, but the problem is that if you fall into cold water, it's instinctual to maybe gasp and to start breathing really quickly," said Peled.

Instead of panicking, you should focus on taking nice, slow deep breaths.

Then you have roughly a 10-minute window to rescue yourself.

"After 10 minutes, your cells and your muscles and your nerve cells are going to make it impossible. They're going to get too cold for you to maybe self-rescue," he said. 

In order to self-rescue, it's important to first try to swim back to where you fell in, Peled said. If you don't, you might just reach ice that's too weak.

Once you've made it back to where you fell in, you should move your arms around to try to break down any remaining weak ice, leaving solid ice behind.

"Then, what you want to do is get your hands up on the surface onto the ice and get your feet out behind you onto the [water's] surface as well."

Using your hands or a tool like an ice pick, pull yourself onto the ice as you kick with your back feet. Once your chest is on the ice, start turning diagonally, using your legs to help propel you further out of the water.

Then start rolling away from the weak ice. 

"If you were to stand up again right away, all your weight is focused on your feet and you're more likely to break through."

If you can't rescue yourself, it usually takes about an hour before you'll lose consciousness from hypothermia, Peled said.

Make sure to use that time to stay visible to any possible rescuer while keeping your mouth and nose above water. 

Rescuing someone else

When it comes to helping rescue someone else, Peled said the first priority is making sure you're staying safe and dry. 

"You really don't want to get wet while you're rescuing them, because then both of you are going to be at risk for hypothermia."

If you come across someone who's fallen through ice, first let them know that you're going to help, Peled said, and find out if there's anyone else also in the water.

Then call 911 immediately.

While staying on solid ice or other steady ground, throw the people in the water something you can use to help pull them out such as a long branch or a piece of rope. 

"Encourage them to kind of kick as you pull them out," Peled said. 

Once they're close to the edge and can climb onto the ice, make sure to keep pulling or tell them to roll away from the weak ice. 

The next steps, Peled said, will depend on your situation and whether emergency services have arrived.

If you're in a more remote location, encourage the person to lay on their back and put their legs in the air to drain water out of their boots. 

"I would try to think about drying them off as quickly as possible, then getting to a safer area, then assessing the situation," said Peled, adding that hopefully you can find a way to keep them insulated and get them warm. 

If you do plan on heading out onto the water this winter — especially to places that are less known — Peled said you should remember to check the ice conditions first or go with people who either have experience or who've tested its thickness.

Most importantly, always be cautious around ice especially if your waterway has a current. 

"Falling through the ice into flat water is a totally different thing than falling through the ice into swift water or moving water," said Peled.

"If somebody did go through, it could push them underneath the ice. And then that's a very bad situation."