GUILFORD--Cold temperatures this weekend should not be a solid reason to get out on frozen ponds and lakes.
The freeze-thaw cycle has been drastic this winter, so the ice may not be thick enough to walk, skate or play on.
"It's a common misconception that, you know it's been cold for a couple of days, and you have the ice is thick enough to put people on," Guilford Fire Department Capt. Chris Gode said, explaining that that's just not true.
The Guilford Fire Department, which rescued a pair of dogs on Wednesday, demonstrated that for FOX 61.
Wearing their specialized suits, firefighters showed that ice thickness can vary--and they fell through several times.
It's just not frozen enough to be on.
"The strength of the ice just isn't there," firefighter Rich Johnson said. "Even if you have a little bit of thickness."
Firefighters say the ice has to be at least four inches thick to walk on. At that point, they say if you do feel it's safe enough to be on it, you should always have someone with you.
