SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Yellowknife's fire chief has a message for anyone thinking of venturing out on the ice: "Just don't do it. Stay off the ice."

Bruce Stevenson demonstrates what not to do off Government Dock on Wednesday. The long-time Yellowknife resident says everyone who has lived in the city for any length of time has fallen through the ice or knows someone who has. Meanwhile, the fire chief is issuing a stern warning to avoid walking on the ice - John McFadden/NNSL photo

Darcy Hernblad's plea follows a close call Monday night when a houseboater went through the ice up to his neck.

"At this time of year the ice is so dangerous. We still think that we want to trust the ice. We still want to get out there and do some of the activities that we do on the ice," Hernblad said. "But if there is ever a time of year that the ice is unpredictable, it's right now."

Houseboater Indio Saravanja posted to Facebook on Monday night that he broke through the ice beside his home and nearly drowned. He described the ice as rotten and like molasses. He was advising people to not take the ice for granted and said he was just happy to be alive.

Hernblad said he drilled a hole in the ice last weekend and found it to be still three feet thick. But he added it was "garbage" ice - more slush than solid.

"It can fool people. They'll think, 'we still have three feet of ice so I can go out on my quad or my snowmobile,'" Hernblad said. "In actual fact, that three feet of ice is such garbage ice, I don't know what it could hold."

Hernblad said that he realizes with the unseasonably warm weather people want to get outside and that is fine. But he is recommending people stick to the trails. If they are walking the dog and talking their kids for a stroll, Herblad wants them to stay on shore.

"If you absolutely have to go out on the ice, at least go with somebody else so if something happens they can go for help," Hernblad said. "I know we live in the North and ice is part of our every-day lifestyle but it's a bad time of year. The problem is the ice is changing every day, sometimes every hour. I could give a report on how the ice is doing, but five hours, 10, 12 hours later it's doing something different depending on the temperature."

Hernblad said fire department personnel have the training to perform ice rescues and they do have survival suits that allow them to go into frigid water. But he added emergency crews are still putting their own lives and safety at risk when they have to rescue someone who has fallen through the ice.

He said houseboaters are a different case altogether. He said he fully understands they have to deal with unstable ice just to get to and from their homes. But he doesn't want people to think that just because they see a houseboater who seems to be fine walking across the ice that it is OK for everyone to do the same.

"The houseboaters are a special breed. They're probably the best experts on ice because they do this back and forth all the time so I don't want to use them as an example," Hernblad said. "People see them crossing all the time and think this must be good. That's a bad message."

Hernblad said that he has respect for the houseboaters because they have respect for the ice.

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