Man and 2 dogs trapped in frozen Battersea Park lake

A dog walker was rescued using an inflatable boat
-Credit:LFB


A dog walker was rescued by firefighters after he became stranded on a frozen lake in Battersea Park yesterday (Sunday, January 12. Three crews were called to rescue a man stuck on ice in the South London park shortly after 11.20am.

London Fire Brigade says he became stuck on an island in the frozen water. Firefighters used an inflatable rescue boat to bring the man and his dog to safety before they were treated at the scene.

Just hours later, the brigade responded to a second call about another dog trapped on the frozen lake. The service has now issued a warning to walkers to keep their dogs away from frozen lakes and to never make a rescue attempt if they do get stuck.

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"It’s best to walk dogs away from frozen water or keep them on the lead if it’s unavoidable. If your dog ventures onto the ice, never follow them onto it, instead call them to come back to you right away, but if they get stuck call fire and rescue services for help.

"Owners should never try to risk rescuing their pet as they could get themselves into a dangerous situation. Even if ice appears thick from the bank, it becomes thinner very quickly. Keep away from the edge of open water, especially slippery banks.

"If you fall in, the temperature of icy water is cold enough to take your breath away, which can easily lead to panic and drowning. The coldness can make your arms and legs numb, which means you can’t control them and can’t swim. It can lead to hypothermia – a serious reduction in your body temperature – which can cause heart failure. This happens even to the strongest swimmers."

What to do if you fall through ice

  • Keep calm and shout for help

  • Spread your arms across the surface of the ice in front of you

  • If you cannot climb out, keep as still as possible with your head clear of the water and wait for help to arrive

  • If the ice is strong enough, kick your legs to slide onto the ice

  • Lie flat on the ice and pull yourself towards the bank

  • Once out of the water, roll away to prevent further cracks i.e. get flat and pull yourself towards the bank

  • Seek medical attention immediately

What to do if someone else falls through the ice

  • Don’t go onto the ice or into the frozen water if you see a person or animal getting into difficulty

  • Stay on the bank, shout for help and phone 999

  • Shout to the person to keep still, hold their head above water. Offer reassurance to keep them calm

  • If the person is too far away to help them from the safety of the bank, do not attempt to rescue them

  • Try to keep your eyes on the person at all times, especially in moving water

  • Try to find something that will float to throw or push out to them

  • Wait for the emergency services to arrive

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