The latest local news, weather and high school sports from the Heartland

KIRKSVILLE, MO --  

The weather may be warming up, but winter is still far from over. That means people may be getting out on the ice for fishing or skating.    
    
The Kirksville Fire Department held an ice safety class Wednesday. The instructor says no ice is safe, unless it is an ice skating rink.

“Wearing a life preserver when you're out there fishing on the ice especially in Northeast Missouri would be a very valuable thing for you because you only have seconds from the time you fall into the ice, what you do in the first ten seconds from the time you fall into the water might mean the difference between life and death,” said Captain James Snyder, Instructor of Ice Rescue Awareness.

Snyder says the water will cool your body 25 times faster than air at the same temperature.

The department has never had to perform a rescue, but the training is important, especially now that residents can ice fish on Spur Pond. The ice should be at least four inches thick to support a person walking or skating.

“The most important part is to ensure that anytime you go out on the ice on the ponds, lakes, and streams in Missouri that you are checking the ice that day, because the ice was good yesterday does not mean it is good today,” Snyder said.
    
Rescuers should never go out on the ice, but the fire department simulates ice rescue at the pool in the summer.