MANCHESTER — Fire officials are urging residents to stay off frozen lakes and ponds after several people were seen walking and jumping on the ice at Harry Wright Lake over the weekend.
According to Whiting Fire Company Station 33, about six individuals were observed on the ice on January 4. A member of the department’s Water Rescue and Recovery Team intervened, stopping to explain the serious dangers posed by unstable ice and the risk of sudden failure beneath even a single step.
Fire officials emphasized that Manchester Township does not have any designated or monitored bodies of water approved for ice activities. Ice thickness can vary widely across a lake or pond, making conditions unpredictable even during prolonged cold weather.
A fall through the ice can lead to cold water immersion, rapid loss of strength and coordination, and life-threatening emergencies, officials said. Such incidents also place rescuers at risk during response efforts.
Residents are reminded that cold temperatures alone do not make ice safe and that the safest choice is to stay off all frozen waterways. Anyone witnessing an emergency involving ice or water is urged to call 911 immediately and provide clear landmarks to help responders locate the incident quickly.
Whiting Fire officials said protecting the public — and the first responders who may be called to help — remains their top priority.
