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Turns out it was a false alarm — whoever called police mistook a bag of equipment for a body.
About an hour earlier, another caller reported seeing someone clearing snow from a Winona pond the caller thought wasn’t fully frozen. No one was in jeopardy in that case, either.
No one has died in an ice-related incident in Winona County since 1981, according to state Department of Natural Resources reports, but as ice fishing, pond hockey and snowmobiling season approaches, ice safety becomes a concern for residents, sportsmen and officials. Three people have already died of hypothermia after falling through ice in Minnesota this year, according to DNR reports.
“When planning your first trip of the season on to the ice, take all necessary safety precautions,” said Dave Genz, a widely known Minnesota ice fishing enthusiast.
Genz and Explore Minnesota Tourism released a statement last week reminding ice fishermen to properly prepare equipment before heading out, and to follow these safety tips:
- Wear life jackets, especially on the first outing of the season.
- Check ice thickness by tapping the surface ahead of you with a chisel as you advance.
- Wear ice cleats to avoid falls. Early season ice is particularly slippery.
Sonny wrote on Dec 8, 2008 9:11 AM: