LANSING, MI (AP)-- As temperatures edge upward, State Fire Marshal Julie Secontine says people should keep off the ice that remains atop Michigan waterways.
Secontine says the ice cover on lakes, rivers and ponds is unreliable across the state.
She says emergency personnel respond to numerous calls this time of year about children, adults and pets falling through ice or being stranded on floating ice cakes.
People also run risks by using makeshift bridges to cross cracks in ice and venture farther out.
Secontine says nearly 85 percent of ice emergency 911 calls involve people who fell through the ice trying to save a pet.
Ice that is slushy, has any water on it, or is snow-covered can hide weak spots. Ice is thinner and more dangerous over flowing water and strong currents.
