This public service safety message is from the Palatine FD:

With the ever changing temperatures in Chicagoland, the Palatine Fire Department asks for your help in spreading the word about dangerous ice conditions.  Last month’s reporting on the 11-year-old that fell through the ice in Naperville is a great reminder about the dangers of going onto frozen lakes and ponds.  The Palatine Fire Department, in cooperation with the Rolling Meadows Fire Department, and the Palatine Rural Fire Protection District, provides water and ice rescue services for the greater Palatine, Rolling Meadows, and Inverness area. 

When confronted with a water or ice recue:

Call 911 Immediately.

Reach – use an object to reach out to a victim to pull them to safety.

Throw – throw the victim a personal flotation device or anything else that will float.

Row –  if a boat is available and the water is open (no ice), row to the victim and have them hold onto the boat.

Go – Go for help.  The most dangerous thing you can do is go out onto the ice or into the water to rescue someone.

Tags: fire department safety message about helping someone that's fallen through the ice, Palatine Fire Department