KfV issues thin ice warning
Austrians would be well advised to avoid skating on natural ice after a thaw, the Committee for Traffic Safety (KfV) said today (Fri).It warned the essential thing was to determine the thickness of natural ice before venturing onto it and it was sometimes possible to learn that by consulting local government offices.KfV advised people to avoid skating or walking on natural ice featuring open areas or cracks and to remain in areas that had already been skated on.It added that people who fell through ice into water should remain on their stomachs and try to crawl onto the nearest ice.Anton Dunzendorfer, the head of KfVs research division, said: “One should never ice-skate alone, for speed is of the essence in a rescue operation after a person has fallen through the ice.”People rescued after falling through the ice needed to get warm as soon as possible and undergo a medical examination, he added.