Ice Skating safety

It may be a fun Christmas tradition but members of the Search and Rescue Ground Team say ice skating on the lakes and ponds right now may not be a safe idea.

Here in Grand Junction the most popular spots to ice skate on are Corn Lake and West Lake.

However; member of Search and Rescue, Doug Sieckert, says when it comes to frozen lakes their ground team motto is, "There's no such thing as safe ice."

Sieckert said, “You can’t see the ice so it might be thick in one spot and thin in another so use extreme caution with ice. If you have a pet that goes in the ice, do not go in after the pet, call the sheriffs' office and they'll come help."

Search and rescue members also add that you should never go ice skating alone and to always have a phone with you incase of an emergency.

If you're thinking about getting out those skates this winter season, just call parks and Recreation or the Sheriffs office to check and see if the ice is thick enough before you head out to the lake.