York Regional Police are reminding people that there are unsafe ice conditions on Lake Simcoe and surrounding bodies of water after seven people were rescued by emergency services recently.
This past Friday, York Region police officers helped out South Simcoe police with a call on Lake Simcoe in which several ice fishers became stranded when ice started breaking apart.
Police say officers also worked with Durham Region police officers and the Ramara fire department to rescue seven people — five of whom were treated for mild hypothermia and one of whom was taken to the hospital with severe hypothermia.
“It was a very busy weekend for us,” York Regional Police Sgt. Aaron Busby said in a video on Twitter.
“We worked closely with some of our partners to rescue seven people that found themselves on ice floes that let go, ended up on an island nearby, where officers had to respond with the airboat and get these people off.”
On Wednesday morning, Busby said officers were searching for a vehicle that went through ice and sank right to the bottom of the lake.
“No ice is safe ice,” he said said. “If you’re going to venture out in the colder weather and go onto the ice to take part in some fishing, snowmobiling, anything like that, we encourage you to wear a floater suit, a complete floater suit, some suit that will keep you dry as well. Keep a cellphone in a waterproof container fully charged. Know where you’re going, have a plan.”
Every year, police respond to calls of people, vehicles and pets that have fallen through the ice. Officers are reminding people to keep children and pets away from all ice surfaces during times when the ice is melting.