LAKE WINNEBAGO — As thousands of people head onto the ice for sturgeon spearing, emergency crews are urging caution amid the brutally cold temperatures.
“During sturgeon spearing season, we start preparing as soon as we can get some ice,” said Neenah-Menasha Fire Capt. Troy Jahns. “We actually staffed additional divers this year due in large part to the extreme cold.”
The dive team was called already on Saturday for a report of a vehicle that went through the ice on Lake Winnebago. Everyone was taken back to shore safely, but that’s not always the case.
“The vehicle that went through was only in 3-feet of water, so the vehicle was only partially submerged,” Capt. Jahns told WTMJ. “Most scenarios don’t play out that way.”
Capt. Jahns says he recommends driving with windows open and unbuckled, only while on the ice.
“There’s no ice that’s absolutely safe,” he said. “You’d be surprised at how quickly a vehicle goes down.”