A ‘significant’ portion of the Schuylkill is frozen. Don’t do anything stupid.
City police have fielded ‘numerous’ reports of people walking on ice.
It should go without saying, perhaps, but city officials this week are saying it anyway:
Just because temperatures have dipped into the teens (or lower) in recent days, doesn’t mean it’s safe to walk, skate, or drive across the area’s frozen lakes, rivers, and waterways.
“We’re getting reports of people walking and ice skating on Philadelphia’s rivers,” the Philadelphia Police Department said in a post to X on Sunday. “This is illegal for a reason. River ice is not as thick as it looks — moving water underneath weakens it and conditions can change fast. Please stay safe and stay off the ice!”
Though the Philadelphia Police said Monday there had been no rescues at this point, the department has fielded more than a dozen calls already, according to Capt. Anthony LaSalle of the city’s police Marine Unit.
LaSalle said a “significant” portion of the Schuylkill was currently frozen over, something that hasn’t happened in a decade.
“In some areas, it could be thicker than other areas, and you’ve got to realize that water is flowing underneath it,” LaSalle said. “You can have six inches in some areas and one inch in another area. And if there’s debris, that makes the ice even weaker.”
It’s a sentiment echoed by City Hall, which this week also urged residents to stay off all frozen waterways for the safety of both themselves and first responders.
“Police and medical staff have been advising residents and visitors to stay off all frozen rivers, lakes and waterways,” a city spokesperson said in an email. “Ice conditions are unpredictable, and walking, skating, or driving on frozen surfaces is extremely dangerous.
“Falling through ice can become fatal within minutes and places both the public and first responders at serious risk. For everyone’s safety, the City is asking everyone to stay on solid ground and avoid all frozen waterways.”