When it comes to heading out onto frozen lakes, ponds, rivers, and creeks, your safety should come first.
That's the message from fire and emergency services officials in the region as the Family Day Weekend gets underway in Ontario.
You may find an influx of people heading out onto area waterways, too, with licence-free family fishing taking place over the long weekend.
Chatham-Kent Fire and Emergency Services Public Educator Whitney Burk said if you plan on taking part in some recreational activities on the water -- including ice fishing -- there are a couple of simple things you can do to stay "Ice Smart."
1. Always dress for the conditions
2. Always wear a Canadian-approved personal flotation device
3. Never travel out on the ice alone
4. Before you leave shore, inform someone of your plans -- where you are going and your expected time of return
Burk said as an added caution, emergency services officials are urging people to stay away from unfamiliar ice.
"Be aware of the changing ice conditions," said Burk, adding those conditions can change day-to-day or even hour-to-hour. "No ice is without risk -- even thick ice may be weak and the quality and thickness can be misleading."
Emergency crews in Chatham-Kent have already responded to almost a dozen ice-water rescue incidents this year, including one as recently as Thursday.
Ontario’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry has some additional ice safety tips, advising residents that clear blue ice is the strongest, white or opaque ice is much weaker, and that you should stay away from ice that looks honeycombed.
You can find the ministry's full list of ice safety tips and ice fishing regulations by clicking here.