When I worked in the school I would say to the students on leave for the holidays to stay safe and keep away from open water and railway lines. The students all thought I was mad.I remember my Dad telling me never to do it, at a young age. Maybe that saved my life! It’s just so, so, sad I can barely allow myself to think about it.
Had it drilled into me at a young age but still had a few close shaves.. utterly devastating.I remember my Dad telling me never to do it, at a young age. Maybe that saved my life! It’s just so, so, sad I can barely allow myself to think about it.
I think a lot of kids in the UK will be getting an extra tight squeeze in the morning. Life is so delicate and taken for granted. Puts things into perspective anytime a tragedy like this happens.. sometimes we forget how lucky we are.Just devastating… I have two boys the same ages, I couldn’t go on without them
I have two young boys too. Partly why I can barely bring myself to think about the story. These things are obviously fairly rare but it’s just so heartbreaking that it ever happens at all. All it would have taken was one passer by to see them and tell them it’s not safe.Just devastating… I have two boys the same ages, I couldn’t go on without them
Absolutely tragic. Those poor families, and at this time of year.It is something that will live forever with the people who tried to save them.
I also hope he makes it.
I wonder if we need to go back to the old safety films of the 70's that warn about the danger of going on frozen ponds.
I sat my eldest (6) down last night and told him some young boys had died because of it. No point beating around the bush. He seemed scared enough to never want to try it.Guys, I know there are many on here who are parents, grandparents, aunties and uncles and will already have got the message to their loved ones, but there are still young kids out there playing on frozen ponds. I know it seems like good fun to them but we need to highlight the dangers.
Teens spotted playing on frozen pond day after Solihull tragedy
It comes just one day after three children tragically died after falling through ice on a frozen lake in Solihullwww.gazettelive.co.uk
It's also finding the right medium for the message to reach its target audience. When I was a kid everyone in the country used to watch the same TV programs at the same time. Now there's so many different media that kids (and parents) use for entertainment that it's not that easy to reach everyone you want to.Absolutely tragic. Those poor families, and at this time of year.
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The old Public Information Films still have their place I believe. There are 2 Frozen Ponds films on YouTube. They might be 50 years old but the message is the same.
There used to be a glut of them this time of year (frozen pipes, wear white at night, the aforementioned frozen ponds) - nowadays nothing. Are we just better informed these days?
Some of those films frightened me when I was little, and I know I'm here today because I took in what they said... but the world's changed now. Probably kids today wouldn't be as afraid as I and others were. Does scaring people, and showing them the death card work today?
I think reworked PIFs should be made and shown more often. Even one life saved is something.
Fair enough. I wouldn't wanna be stood on that for long mind. I guess in the past when someone went through and died it probably didn't become a national BBC Breaking News alert etc.
Didn't see this post, then realised I've posted basically the same.It doesn't help when kids see people ice skating and playing on frozen lakes in the States / Canada etc. on the TV. It looks fun. You can understand why they want to try it.
They don't understand the difference. They don't understand that it takes weeks of sub-zero temperatures to form ice thick enough to be safe to walk on. Not just one or two cold nights.
It's awful. Need to continue to get the education out there to prevent this from happening again.
I've been on a 10 hr shift and just heard the news too.....I have no wordsI have been in the shed most of the day and just seen that the six year old boy died earlier.
This is an awful event that's really impacted on me.