On the afternoon of December 10th, the Boys and Girls Club in Kotzebue was the site of an important Out on Ice Safety and Self-Rescue class, hosted by the Maniilaq Office of Environmental Health. The class was co-sponsored by the City of Kotzebue, the Boys and Girls Club, and the Kotzebue Fire Department. Rob Hulse, an instructor with the Alaska Marine Safety Education Association (AMSEA), led the session.
The class began with the instructor sharing real-life stories of survival, emphasizing the importance of a positive mindset in emergencies. Rob Hulse highlighted the difference between planning to go home versus planning to be rescued. He explained that those who focus solely on being rescued may experience a sudden drop in willpower and even cardiac arrest after rescue, as the body often follows the minds expectations.
A key part of the training was the 7 Steps to Survival, which are:
- Recognition
- Inventory
- Shelter
- Signals
- Water
- Food
- Play
To help remember these steps, participants learned the phrase: Real Indians Serve Spicy Watermelons For Picnics.
The session also covered self-rescue techniques, particularly the dangers of the initial gasp reflex when falling into cold water, which can last from one to three minutes and may lead to drowning. Participants learned that, on average, a person has about 10 minutes of useful movement in icy water. If unable to self-rescue within that time, it is advised to hold still at the edge of the ice, pull as much of the body out of the water as possible, and allow oneself to freeze to the ice, which has led to successful rescues in the past.
Rob Hulse also discussed the many types of ice hazards to watch for, including flow, outflow, peninsula/headland currents, shallow/current, wind wakes, temperature changes, fractures/folds, ice drift, swells, break-up, gas bubbles, snow on ice, driving snow, slurp holes, skid layers, stup ice, salt ice, salty ice cream ice, double ice, glass ice, wrecked ice, and rotten ice.
For more information on ice safety and future classes, contact the Alaska Marine Safety Education Association at (907) 747-3287.