The Local 4 Defenders showed what could happen if you fall through the ice.

What did they discover? A rescue from the icy waters could take more time than you might have.

What can you do to get yourself prepared before heading out on the ice?

First, make sure you have a whistle around your neck. Another good piece of equipment is an ice pick. If it's looped around your wrist, you can use the pick to climb out.

According to the Coast Guard, you can try to get yourself out of the water and onto the ice, but that could be very difficult. Also, you might be wasting energy if the surrounding ice gets too thin.

If you witness someone going through the ice, don't go in after them. Experts say that you're going to be able to do more from the outside of the water for the person that is in trouble rather than becoming a victim yourself.

The Coast Guard offers one more bit of advice. Remember, no ice is safe ice. You should always be prepared.

Survival Tips

Here are a few ice safety tips that winter sports enthusiasts should keep in mind before venturing out on a frozen lake.

4 inches of new clear ice is the minimum thickness for travel on foot.
5 inches is minimum for snowmobiles and ATVs.
8 to 12 inches is the thickness for cars or small trucks. Remember these are merely guidelines and that many factors other than thickness can cause ice to be unsafe.

Check for known thin ice areas with a local resort or bait shop. Test the thickness using an ice chisel or even a cordless 1/4-inch drill with a 6-inch or longer bit.

Refrain from driving on ice whenever possible. If you must drive a vehicle, be prepared to leave it in a hurry: keep windows down, unbuckle your seat belt and have a simple emergency plan of action that you have discussed with your passengers.

Don't "overdrive" your snowmobile's headlight. At even 30 miles per hour, it can take a much longer distance to stop on ice than your headlight shines. Many fatal snowmobile through-the-ice accidents occur because the machine was travelling too fast for the operator to stop when the headlamp illuminated the hole in the ice.

Wear a life vest under your winter gear or one of the new flotation snowmobile suits.

It's a good idea to carry a pair of ice picks that may be purchased from most well-stocked sporting goods stores. It's amazing how difficult it can be to pull yourself back onto the surface of unbroken, but wet and slippery, ice with a snowmobile suit weighted down with 60 pounds of water. The ice picks really help pulling yourself back onto solid ice.

Do not wear a flotation device when travelling across the ice in an enclosed vehicle.

What should you do if a companion falls through thin ice?

Keep calm and think out a solution.

Don't run up to the hole. You'll could break through and then there will be two victims.

Use an item on shore to throw or extend to the victim to pull them out of the water such as jumper cables or skis.

If you can't rescue the victim immediately, call 911. Many people now carry cellphones.

Get medical assistance for the victim. People subjected to cold water but seem fine after being rescued can suffer a potentially fatal condition called "after drop. " That may occur when cold blood that is pooled in the body's extremities starts to circulate again as the victim starts to rewarm.

What if you fall in?

Try not to panic. Instead, remain calm and turn toward the direction you came from. Place your hands and arms on the unbroken surface of the ice (here's where the ice picks come in handy.)

Work forward on the ice by kicking your feet. If the ice breaks, maintain your position and slide forward again.

Once you are lying on the ice, don't stand. Instead, roll away from the hole. That spreads out your weight until you are on solid ice. This sounds much easier than it is to do.

The best advice is to not put yourself into needless danger by venturing out too soon or too late in the season.

Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.