London Fire Brigade has issued a stark reminder to dog walkers about the dangers of icy waters after crews were called to rescue two dogs stranded on a frozen lake in Battersea Park.
The first call came when a man attempted to rescue his dog, which had become stuck on the ice. The man, too, became trapped on an island in the icy water. Firefighters swiftly deployed an inflatable rescue boat to bring both the man and the dog to safety, where they were treated at the scene.
Just hours later, the Brigade responded to a second call about another dog trapped on the frozen lake.
A London Fire Brigade spokesman said: “These incidents highlight just how important it is to keep dogs away from frozen ponds, lakes or rivers which can pose a danger.
“It’s best to walk dogs away from frozen water or keep them on the lead if it’s unavoidable. If your dog ventures onto the ice, never follow them onto it, instead call them to come back to you right away, but if they get stuck call fire and rescue services for help.
“Owners should never try to risk rescuing their pet as they could get themselves into a dangerous situation.
“Even if ice appears thick from the bank, it becomes thinner very quickly. Keep away from the edge of open water, especially slippery banks.
“If you fall in, the temperature of icy water is cold enough to take your breath away, which can easily lead to panic and drowning. The coldness can make your arms and legs numb which means you can’t control them and can’t swim. It can lead to hypothermia – a serious reduction in your body temperature – which can cause heart failure. This happens even to the strongest swimmers.”
The Brigade was called to the first incident at around 11.20am, with three fire engines and two fire rescue units from Lambeth, Battersea, Chelsea, Edmonton, and Bethnal Green fire stations responding.
The incident was over for firefighters by 12.15pm. The Brigade was then called to the second incident at around 1pm, which was resolved within 15 minutes.
Pictured top: A crew takes to the water to carry out the ice rescue (Picture: LFB)