Spring warnings
Posted Mar 4, 2010 By EMC News
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Tweet ThisEMC Editorial - What a winter this has been. Warmer than normal temperatures, less than normal snowfall, and more spring-like conditions to come. Those groundhog prognosticators that claimed we were facing six more full weeks of winter have never been more wrong.
Still, the positively unwintry winter weather does come with a warning. Whether it's the continued thin ice on lakes and rivers or the higher water levels in area ditches and creeks, everyone will want to steer clear from here on out.
As OPP Inspector Ray Westgarth notes in a recent appeal, parents in particular will want to stay on their toes to ensure their children stay away from the rising water and thin ice.
"Each year in the province we witness tragedies of young people going through the ice or being swept away in fast-moving water," he notes.
Even snow forts and slides need to be carefully examined to make sure the children won't be trapped should the roof cave in and that they are not located anywhere near local roadways.
"Kids may not know what they are building or where they are sliding is dangerous, so take the time to check it out and talk to them," Westgarth explains.
And the warning's not just for children. Adults are still taking their motorized vehicles snowmobiles, cars and even trucks onto the ice despite the inherent risks. The best advice, the inspector says, is simply to stay off the ice and stick to the trails.
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