Ice emergency aid and recovery method incorporating same

An ice emergency aid for use by a person who has fallen through the surface of a frozen body of water, comprising:

• (a) a pair of support elements each having a first and a second end;
• (b) a hand grip located on each of said support elements;
• (c) engaging means located on said first end of each of said support elements for engaging the surface of the frozen body of water, said engaging means comprising an elongated tooth;
• (d) connecting means located on said first ends of said support element for releasably connecting said support elements together along a common axis with said first ends of said support elements facing one another, said connecting means comprising a bore defined in each of said first ends of said support element, said bore of each support element being adapted to snugly receive at least a portion of the elongated tooth of the other support element in a telescoping relationship, said support elements when connected together forming a single axially extending unit;
• (e) a strap fastened to said second end of each of said support elements to form, when said first and second support elements are assembled together, a closed loop with said first and second support elements, said strap including a releasable joint for permitting severance of said closed loop, to enable said person to grip the aid in one hand and sever said loop, so that said person can then separate said support elements and engage said engaging means with said surface of the frozen body of water.

An ice emergency aid for use by a person who has fallen through the surface of a frozen body of water, comprising:

• (a) a pair of support elements;
• (b) a hand grip located on each of said support elements, said hand grip having a first and second end, and said hand grip being constructed from luminous and buoyant materials;
• (c) engaging means located on each of said support elements for engaging the surface of the frozen body of water, said engaging means including at least one tooth;
• (d) a bore defined in one of said hand grips for releasably connecting said support elements together, said bore opening at said second end of said hand grip to snugly receive a portion of the other support element in a telescoping relationship, said portion including said engaging means;
• (e) a strap fastened to at least one of said support elements to form a closed loop for carrying said aid, said strap including a releasable joint for permitting severance of said strap;
• and
• (f) a cap for covering said at least one tooth of said one of said hand grips.

A recovery method for use by a person who has fallen through the surface of a frozen body of water, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) accessing an ice emergency aid having a pair of support elements each having a hand grip and each having a first and second end, each support element having at said first end engagement means for engaging the surface of the frozen body of water, said first ends of said support elements being releasably connected together along a common axis by connecting means to form a single axially extending unit, said emergency aid further having a strap fastened to said second end of each of said support elements, said strap forming with said support elements and when said support elements are assembled together, a closed loop, said strap having a releasable joint for permitting severance of said loop, said loop being hung around the neck of said person;
• (b) pulling on said loop to sever said loop at said releasable joint;
• (c) disconnecting said support elements;
• (d) thrusting said engagement means of at least one of said support elements into the surface of said frozen body of water;
• and
• (e) pulling upon said hand grip of said at least one support element to move said person onto the surface of said frozen body of water.