Being safe out on the ice

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) - Wednesday two people had to be rescued after they fell through the ice on Metacomet Lake in Belchertown.

Recently we've been experiencing temperatures above freezing, in the 30s and 40s during the day and in the upper 20's to around freezing at night.

This mild weather is starting to weaken the ice on area lakes and ponds. There was no one out ice fishing, a sign that the ice is probably not safe.

Miguel Menendez told 22News, "Oh I don't go out on the ice. I have two little kids, a 6-year-old and a 4-year-old so I'm very cautious about that I just think it's really dangerous."

However, if you do plan to go out on the ice it's important to know just how thick it is. Ice less than 2 inches thick is not safe, when its 4 inches thick it's considered safe for ice fishing. Ice that is 5 inches thick is considered safe for snowmobiles and ATVs. The ice needs to be 8 to 12 inches thick to be considered safe for cars and small pickup trucks.

Remember you should always check with your local fire department or parks department to find out if the ice where you live is safe to go out on.