EMERGENCY services are warning Helensburgh residents to stay clear of frozen water during further cold snaps this winter - after a dog had a lucky escape at the town’s reservoir.
Local walkers visited the frozen reservoir at the top of Sinclair Street as temperatures dropped earlier this month, with some people and their pets venturing on to the ice.
And one dog fell beneath the surface before managing to pull itself out to safety, with the terrifying incident acting as a sharp reminder of the perils presented by frozen waterways at this time of year.
Crowds also flocked to Queen’s Park in Glasgow’s southside, where a 12-year-old boy had to be rescued after falling through ice on a frozen pond.
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Helensburgh’s Police Scotland area inspector, Roddy MacNeill, said officers attended the Burgh reservoir to make people aware of the dangers.
He said: “The reservoirs are deep and the ice is/was not thick enough to support a number of people.
“Should we experience further cold conditions, please refrain from going onto the ice or allowing pets to run on as if they get into difficulty it may cause people to try and rescue the animals putting them at risk.
“If someone was to go into the water they could experience cold water shock which is one of the most profound stimuli that the body can encounter and incapacitates the body, it cannot be prevented. Be safe.”
Meanwhile the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) is also urging the public to be aware of the risks of going onto or allowing children and pets to go onto the ice.
According to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, more than 50 per cent of all drowning cases involving ice in the UK involved the attempted rescue of another person or a pet.
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The SFRS is warning that while ice can look and feel solid, it can suddenly crack and cause a person to fall through and potentially become trapped under it.
Alasdair Perry, SFRS head of prevention and protection, said: “We would ask everyone to be aware of the dangers of ice and strongly advise against walking or playing on any iced-up waterways and always ensure that children are kept away from any iced over ponds or rivers.
“If you are out with your pet, do not throw sticks or balls near frozen water, and if they do get into trouble on the ice, do not venture onto the ice yourself to attempt a rescue - dial 999.
“The ice may look solid, but it is not worth the risk to step out on to it.”
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