By James Windell
The extreme winter conditions we have experienced in South Haven this winter has made walking outside dicey – to say the least.
However, with popular beaches in South Haven ice shelves have formed which attract people to take chances by walking out on Lake Michigan. The Executive Director of the South Haven Area Emergency Services (SHAES) Brandon Hinz, as well as other city and township officials, say that the ice shelves are extremely unstable – and recent incidents make that very clear. Emergency responders from SHAES have already handled multiple accidents this winter, all involving people falling through or falling on the ice that forms along the Lake Michigan shoreline.
Hinz says it in very simple and direct terms: “Ice along Lake Michigan’s shoreline, in channels, and on piers is extremely dangerous and unpredictable.”
Hinz says that what looks like solid ice is often just a thin surface layer weakened by waves, changing lake levels, wind, and underlying currents. An ice shelf is created when waves push broken lake ice into ridges and mounds that freeze together, forming what looks like a “shelf” along the shore.
“But this ice can shift, crack, or break apart without warning, especially near pier heads, river mouths, and channel openings where moving water erodes it from below,” says Hinz. As a result, he explains, people who venture out can fall through in seconds, and in winter water temperatures, cold shock and hypothermia can set in almost immediately, making self-rescue very difficult. His assessment is also direct and to the point: “No ice in these areas should ever be considered safe.”
Dr. Timothy VanderKooy, Emergency Medicine Physician at Bronson Hospital, says that he hasn’t seen more accidents on the ice and serious injuries this winter as compared to previous winters. Yet the Bronson Hospital ERs see a steady number of fractures and sprains, especially, VanderKooy says, fractured legs and hips and sprained ankles.
VanderKooy advises that people going out on wintery days exercise caution and wear shoes or boots that provide traction. “You must pay attention to where you are walking,” he adds. And that certainly means staying off the ice shelves.
Hinz has similar advice when he recommends that “The safest choice is to stay off the shoreline ice entirely.”
Ross Stein, Supervisor of the Charter Township of South Haven and Chairman of the SHAES Authority Board, also says that people should stay off the ice.
“People need to understand that there are cracks in the ice shelf,” Stein says. “There is a gap between the top of the ice mound and the water. If someone breaks through the ice and falls in the water, hyperthermia sets in within 15 to 30 minutes. The chances of them being pulled out or recovered aren’t very high.”
Both Stein and Hinz emphasize the danger to first responders if someone has an accident. “These incidents put first responders at significant risk,” says Hinz. “Ice rescues near open water are some of the most hazardous operations crews face, requiring specialized equipment and techniques. Responders may be forced to work on unstable ice, in frigid water, all while racing against time to save a life. Every additional person on unsafe ice increases the chance of the situation turning into multiple victims.”
Stein has another warning for people who venture into unsafe areas. “When public safety departments are telling the public to stay off the ice shelf, they need to listen to the experts in saving lives,” Stein says. “SHAES can and will bill individuals who cause us to rescue them. Just because the women and men of the SHAES department train for ice rescue doesn’t mean that they need to put their lives at risk for someone’s irresponsible behavior. Hopefully, being ticketed and charged for services, will save lives.”
