Warmer weather, thinning ice: Safety first

  • Published
  • 354th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska --  Base personnel and families are encouraged to stay off lakes on Eielson Air Force Base as rising temperatures decrease ice thickness and strength.

Determining ice safety can be difficult to judge. With warming weather and many other contributing factors, including wind, water flow and decreasing snow cover, thinning ice is a reality and safety is a large concern.

354th Civil Engineer Squadron Natural Resources recommends Icemen stay off of ice covered bodies of water when thin ice is suspected. If one must venture onto it, however, test its integrity by drilling every 10 feet as you proceed from the shore to the middle. Always proceed with caution, even after testing, and keep weight spread out to create a maximum foot print.

According to Tom Slater, 354th CES natural resources planner, ice melts from the shore toward the center of a lake during the spring. Each lake freezes and melts differently, and ice on one lake may be safe while ice on another may be unsafe.

Thickness of ice over an individual lake can also vary greatly and ice thickness is not always an accurate measurement of its strength because of changing air temperatures, snow insulation, wind erosion and overall ice quality.

"The most important thing I can tell people ... is to never assume ice is safe," said Ron Gunderson, 354 CES chief of natural and cultural resources. "There's no cut-and-dry way to classify ice - always use caution when entering onto a frozen water body so that you can always be on the safe side."

When enjoying Alaska's great outdoors, Airmen and families should avoid recreation near ice on flowing bodies of water, which almost always tend to present a greater safety risk. River ice is up to 15 percent weaker than still-water ice and depending on the strength of a river's current, ice thickness can vary drastically within a very short distance.

"I recommend parents inform their children to stay off river or creek ice year-round," said Slater. "Ice thickness and strength on these flowing waters is just dangerously unpredictable."

One trouble spot on Eielson's lake system is the southwest corner of Moose Lake where ice is routinely thinner than elsewhere on the lake as result of an underwater spring in this area. Avoid all recreational activities in this location.

As temperatures rise and more outdoor activities open for Eielson's populace to enjoy, everyone is encouraged to experience a variety of these opportunities. In the spirit of responsible wingmen, please adhere to installation recommendations and safety guidance while exercising good judgment.