Shawnee County officials warn people not to walk on frozen water

Shawnee County Parks and Rec officials are warning people not to go out on frozen lakes or ponds in this cold weather.

TOPEKA, Kan. (KSNT) - Shawnee County Parks and Recreation officials are warning people not to go out on frozen lakes or ponds in this cold weather.

Doing so can be life-threatening. The chances of surviving falling in a frozen waterway are slim, as you will only have about 10 minutes to get out.

"Ice does not freeze at a uniform thickness. So you don't know when you walk out on that ice that it's thick enough when you first step in. You may hit a shallow or thin spot and suddenly you're in the water." said Mike McLaughlin, communications and public information supervisor for Shawnee County Parks and Rec.

Shawnee County is prepared for the situation of potentially having someone fall in the frozen water. The county had firefighters go through ice rescue training just last week to prepare for potential accidents.

Shawnee County advises people not to ice fish or do any other activities that involve going on top of the ice.