Quick-thinking Idaho Fisherman Saves Boy Who Fell Through Ice
OutdoorHub Reporters 02.13.14
An ice fisherman in Garden City, Idaho managed to be in the right place at the right time. According to KTVB, the angler was fishing in a local pond when a 12-year-old boy broke through the ice about 20 feet from shore. The angler quickly ran to his car and retrieved a long power cord, which he threw out to the child like a rope.
“Oh yeah, he was scared,” the unidentified angler told KBOI 2. “I mean he was really scared, he tried to call help, help, and the people talking to him saying ‘relax, relax.'”
Luckily, the boy avoided going under the icy water completely and was able to grab one end of the power cord. Assisted by bystanders, the angler dragged the victim back to shore. The boy was later reunited with his mother and warmed up in an ambulance. Except for being a bit wet and cold, medical workers found the boy uninjured from the experience.
The Idaho Fish and Game advises that ice fishermen—and any other recreationists—always go out on the ice in pairs or within sight of others. The best course of action for someone who has fallen into the water is to try and maintain a grip on the unbroken ice, and either pull themselves out or wait for help. A neck knife or ice spike will also help greatly in gripping the slippery ice.
