BANGOR DAILY NEWS • December 27, 2025
Every winter, there are harrowing examples of people in Maine and elsewhere who have broken through the ice, sometimes with deadly results. That’s why Josh Gerritsen, a Rockport-based documentary filmmaker and an avid ice skater on Maine ponds, recently took it upon himself to coach a small group of onlookers how to safely escape the water when it’s mostly frozen over, should they ever fall through. Assess the ice strength, depth and density; know how to identify weak points; and avoid going solo. Help a victim, including by shouting encouragement, extending an object such as a rope or ladder for them to grab or wrap around themself, using a boat to assist and going for professional help: preach, reach, throw, row, go. if you’re the one who goes in, stay calm, spread your arms out on the unbroken ice and kick hard to lift your body onto it, so you can then roll to safety.