FAIRMONT – With temperatures in the 30s and 40s over the past few days, being safe on the ice is, as always, of the utmost importance.

Martin County Deputy Sheriff Dylan Post said the Sheriff’s Office covers the lakes in the county.

“We have boats to patrol the lakes,” he said. “DNR does stuff with licenses, but we can do that as well, check all that stuff. We don’t drill as much to check ice length. We check Sommers, and they keep that updated pretty well.”

The biggest concern for Post is thin ice.

“You can’t always tell where the ice is going to be thin,” he said. “People going out with vehicles when the ice isn’t thick enough, and they go under, that is one of our biggest concerns.”

Thankfully, Post said there have been no major incidents to report so far.

“We get calls for kids on the ice when there’s fishing early, and the ice might be too thin, but that’s all we’ve gotten,” he said.

When danger does strike, Post said they have plenty of tools to make the best decision.

“We’ve got snowmobiles, side by sides to get out on the lake,” he said. “In recovery or emergency situations, we call the dive team, which has the equipment to do rescues. We rely on them a lot more because it is a lot safer for them to do so. We would normally page the fire department because they have equipment they can use to help, too.”

As for how the ice has developed so far this year, Post said it has been pretty standard. With warmer temperatures recently, he said there are some concerns.

“Right around Christmas, we see more people out if the ice is good,” he said. “Given the current warm conditions, we have to worry about how long the warm will be and how much ice we lose. People may have to pull their permanent houses.”

This has also been the first winter in a few years with bouts of heavy snowfall. Post said when that comes around again, impact will depend on conditions and severity.

“Typically, it depends on how much ice we have before the snow,” he said. “If we have little ice and then snow that’s going to be more dangerous. It’s hit or miss depending on the weather or the day. A lot of it is going to be getting through the snow to check the ice, and it can make some spots thinner than others.”

When it comes to being safe on and around the ice, Post said it can come down to being in the know.

“Know where you’re going,” he said. “Know the ice thickness. Let someone know you’re out there. People don’t like giving up their fishing spots, but it’s good if someone knows you’re there. Use ice picks to keep checking it’s thick enough. For if you do fall in, companies make inflatable snow pants and stuff. Know what kind of equipment you can have based on the ice thickness out there.”

When driving, Post said the windows should be down and seatbelt off. He said if it’s possible and safe, you can even keep your door open while driving.

“A generic thing we go off of is 4 inches for walking, 5 to 6 for snowmobile, 8 to 12 for smaller vehicles, 14 to 16 for bigger trucks and 20 inches for permanent ice houses,” Post said.

It also helps to have a preparedness kit, much like for your car.

“Have warm clothes, blankets, food and drink, a phone that’s charged or with a portable charger so you can call for help and anything you’d bring for safety in a vehicle safety kit,” Post said.