Ice Safety

Ice conditions Always check the ice before you walk on it -clear blue ice is the strongest -Snow covered ice can be misleading - snow can hinder the production of ice

Ice thickness Walking-2” Fishing- 4” Snowmobiles-5” Vehicles- 8-12

How to check it Listen: -hit it with a stick and listen for thump sound=good ice -cut a hole - start close to shore and move out - make several checks -“Thick and blue, tried and true. Thin or crispy, way too risky” Tim Jones

Other dangers Look for submerged objects -ice is usually thin near these Stay away from cracks, streams, dams and slushy areas -any area that looks like the ice is not safe Always bring a friend and stay at least 10 yards apart

What to do when you fall in k

Review rule 1 minute- cold shock: Stay above water and let the cold shock pass -don't get water in your mouth-makes you feel like you're drowning 10 minutes- : -your window to get out of the ice -kick your feet to get horizontal then pull and kick -1 Hour: -if you can't get out, get most of body on the ice, so it will freeze 1 hour: -Hypothermia

Fire 101 Benefits: -give you warmth -way to cook food -boil water -signal for help -protection from animals -dry your clothes -repel insects -Burn the end of sticks to make a spear -use the smoke to get animals out of their burrows and into traps -torch can be used to blind fish at night

Location -Stay out of wind -Not under tree boughs -Clear ground of all inflammable material -Build a wind break or reflector to direct heat -Build numerous small fires -easy to control and maintain -In the snow build a platform of green logs or stones

What a Fire Needs Fuel Oxygen Ignition source

Fuel-Wood Hardwoods -generally slow burning wood and long lasting coals -have broad leaves Softwoods -Hot fast fire, does not last long -have needles Try to find dry/seasoned wood for your fire -look at the end of the log for cracks

Other Fuels -animal dung -dry seaweed -dry peat moss -animal oils -dry leaves -coal or oil that seep to the surface or saturated as tar sands -animal blubber -gasoline/oil mixture

Oxygen A fire needs to oxygen to burn -make sure to space your logs or sticks to allow air flow

Ignition 1)matches 2)battery and steel wool 3)lighter 4)quartz, flint or other glassy rock 5)steel and flint 6)candle 7)camera lens, binocular lens 8)bow and drill 9)pump fire drill

Making a fire 1)Tinder -dry tree boughs -birch bark -dry grass -dried leaves -pine cones -egg carton with drier lint -Shelf mushrooms on trees -cat tails -bird nests -punk-inside of dry rotten tree trunks -Pine gum(pitch) - comes out of knots- yellow in colour

2) Kindling -small sticks stacked in a teepee shape -Leave a little opening to place the tinder or match in 3) Wood -slowly add larger pieces of wood -start for pieces about finger size -do not add too much too quick or it will smother 4) Fire to coals -starts turning to coals, it is good to cook on because it will have even heat distribution