Stay Safe and Stay Off the Ice!
By Kay Gault for the Charlotte Volunteer Fire and Rescue Services,
January 26, 2012, page 5.....

This is a reminder to please use extreme caution near the water and ice. With the weather going from frigid to warm and back to frigid, Lake Champlain and our local ponds and streams are in a cycle of melting and refreezing, making the ice weaker and more dangerous. If the thickness of the ice is less than three inches, stay off! Ice is never 100% safe; there is always a risk involved every time you venture onto the ice. If you do go out on the ice, be sure to take a friend and keep some distance between you; if one goes through the ice, the other can call for help. If someone does fall through the ice, do not delay, call 911. Leave the rescue work to us and don’t become another victim. We do respond to all calls for ice rescues or water rescue emergencies, including for your pets.
For more information about ice and water safety, please call the Charlotte Volunteer Fire & Rescue Station at 425-3111.