The rescue of a child who fell through the ice at an East Patchogue pond serves as a reminder for communities all across Long Island to be extra careful around frozen bodies of water.
A resident in the Heatherwood Lakeside Village apartment complex saw an 8-year-old boy fall through the ice on Thursday, according to police.
Two officers and a sergeant pulled the child from chest-deep water. He was taken to the hospital as a precaution and was expected to recover.
Officials say there should be at least 4 inches of solid ice for safe walking or ice fishing.
There needs to be 5 to 6 inches of ice for snowmobiles and all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), 8 to 12 inches for cars and small trucks, and 12 to 15 inches for medium trucks.
Officials add that it usually takes four days with temperatures consistently below freezing for ice to form thick enough to consider walking on it.
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