First responders in New Jersey urge people to stay off ice

Bryanna Gallagher Image
Friday, January 24, 2025
First responders in New Jersey urge people to stay off ice
First responders in New Jersey urge people to stay off ice

DELRAN, N.J. (WPVI) -- With the bitter cold all week and a slight rise in temperatures, officials are stressing no ice is safe.

"The rising temperatures, along with that sun and a little bit of the wind, if you do have water on the ice, it will degrade the ice a lot," explained Joseph Cunningham Jr., the Delran Fire Battalion Chief.

He said luckily they've had zero ice rescues this winter, however, they just certified 18 technicians.

"They went over self-rescue capabilities if a firefighter goes through the ice while trying to make a rescue, as well as rescuing a victim in the ice and multiple people," noted Cunningham.

It was two days of training, something they hadn't been able to do in previous years because it hadn't been cold enough.

"It's a very aggressive training, something we don't encounter a lot. It takes a lot of strength to get out there across the ice," Cunningham said.

Despite being in protective gear, they still feel the chill from the water so imagine what the average person may feel if they fell in. He said they're not anywhere near the hypothermia level that someone experiences if they fall through.

He explained that it's hard to really tell how thick the ice is, especially if it's snow-covered. Throw in a few hours of sunshine and it becomes even more dangerous.

An entrance to Lonnie Lake, where they did their training is now secured as an extra safety precaution.

Over at Haddon Lake Park, you can see footprints, sled marks and what appears to be even an ATV overtop the ice. Even though it looks fine, conditions can change rather quickly.

"Don't try to rescue yourself. Keep the person talking, keep them going. That initial shock is gonna play a major role. Keep them talking, encouraging them to fight their way out of the water," Cunningham explained.

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