MANCHESTER, Conn. — Warmer weather has lots of people out and about, but it has also posed dangers for those venturing on the ice.
After nearly a dozen people being pulled from ice-cold water over the weekend, first re ponders are stressing the message of ice safety.
Authorities are warning that while ice may look thick at the shore, it thins out rapidly once at the middle.
"As warm as it's been, none of the ice in Connecticut should be considered safe," Battalion Chief and 21 year Manchester Fire veteran, Josh Beaulieu said.
Zipping up their ice suits and getting out their rope rescue gear, the Manchester Fire Department demonstrated a scaled down demonstration of an ice rescue on Monday from Salters Pond.
Battalion Chief Gordon MacMillan said residents should keep in mind that it's not the time of year when it comes to ice, it's the temperature.
MacMillan added that during an actual ice rescue, as many as 17 of his crew would respond to a scene.
With so many lakes and ponds thawing, going out on ice comes down to common sense, McMillan continued.
"Even though it's February, and you can see ice on the water, you have to assume it's unsafe ice."
Rescuers were challenged Sunday when they had to save a group of ice fishermen who broke through thin ice at Burr Mountain Pond in Torrington.
Four people fell in, and two of them had to be flown by Life Star to Hartford Hospital for severe hypothermia.
Those that needed to be rescued were 100-feet away from the shore.
Within hours on Sunday, emergency crews also had to make a second rescue on a Litchfield county pond after two men fell through the ice in a state park.
According to fire crews, the two unidentified men fell through the ice in Mount Tom Pond in Mount Tom State Park.
Officials remind CT residents that the ice is extremely unstable and must be avoided at this time.
Click here for general ice safety tips from the CT DEEP.
