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Getting your player ready...

Rapidly falling air temperatures, dangerously cold water and the likelihood of skim ice on some ponds across Minnesota means it鈥檚 imperative for parents and guardians to talk with their kids about the importance of safety ahead of the Thanksgiving break.

Whether through thin ice or into open water, falls into the water this time of year can turn tragic quickly, and an unexpected fall can incapacitate even the strongest swimmers in short order. It鈥檚 up to parents and guardians to teach their kids about the dangers of cold water, and ensure they鈥檙e properly supervised anytime they鈥檙e around it.

鈥淢any kids have an innate curiosity about the water, but they likely don鈥檛 understand the dangers,鈥� said Capt. Adam Block, boating law administrator for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. 鈥淎ll water this time of year is dangerous, from the small neighborhood pond to the state鈥檚 biggest lakes and rivers.鈥�

The best way to stay safe around cold water, or survive an unexpected fall in, is to wear a life jacket. Foam life jackets are better than inflatable life jackets this time of year, since cold water means the latter might not fully inflate. In addition, Block recommends people carry a phone in case they need to call for help, let others know where they鈥檙e going and when they plan to return, and plan for how they鈥檒l deal with an unforeseen incident.

For more information about surviving a fall into cold water, see the cold water dangers page of the DNR website (mndnr.gov/safety/boatwater/cold-water.html).