‘It might look safe, but it’s not’: Maine officials stress extreme caution on the ice

By Francis Flisiuk

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    RAYMOND, Maine (WMTW) — Emergency officials in Raymond and with the Maine Warden Service are stressing the importance of ice safety ahead of the weekend when many Mainers will be exploring the state’s frozen lakes and ponds.

“It’s going to be a busy weekend on the ice here in Raymond this weekend and all throughout the State of Maine,” Bruce Tupper of Raymond Fire & Rescue said. “Here on Big Sebago, people have been fishing Jordan Bay and Lower Bay. The Big Bay now has a skim of ice and snow. It might look safe, but it is not.”

The Maine Warden Service is also encouraging outdoor ice enthusiasts to always pack lifesaving tools such as ice picks, a rope bag and flotation devices when venturing out.

Officials highlighted a recent incident when a local firefighter had fallen through the ice but was able to stay calm and safely get out due to his preparation and training.

According to the firefighter’s account of the Feb. 3 incident on Sebago Lake, snowfall from the night before covered the ice, and he fell through while on his snowmobile in a patch of ice that was only 1.5 inches thick. He says while his snowmobile sank to a depth of 175 feet, his gear kept him floating, and he was able to use his ice picks to break ice for 75 feet, get himself back up on a stable surface and crawl to safety.

The warning extends to ice fishers and all snowmobilers who should be “especially cautious” of slushy conditions on many lakes in Maine. Officials urge snowmobilers to stay on marked trails and be aware of pressure ridges, which is a sign that the ice is potentially thin enough to break.

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