For interviews, contact Tim O’Donnell, chair, coldwaterwarning.com, cell 952-451-4689

Ron Jacobson, board member, coldwaterwarning.com, home 651-423-2117

Media Advisory
Ice-Out Renews Annual Safety Threat: DANGEROUSLY COLD WATER

Saturday, April 5 News Conference to Warn of Cold Water Dangers, Despite Warm Weather
Participants include the MN DNR, American Red Cross, Ramsey County Sheriff’s Water Patrol

and Ron Jacobson, the grandfather of a young boy who drowned in cold water.

ST. PAUL, MARCH 26, 2008 – The ice will soon be out on area waterways and summer-like temperatures are not uncommon this time of year. It will make that lake or stream look mighty inviting, right? Don’t be fooled – the water is still dangerously cold and could quickly cause cold-water shock and drowning! Children and adults alike need to heed the warning and stay out of the water and wear their life jacket if they go boating.

The nonprofit organization coldwaterwarning.com is asking the news media to begin spreading this message now. The organization also invites the media to a news conference on Saturday, April 5, at 10 a.m. on the banks of the Mississippi River in Harriet Island Regional Park in St. Paul. As part of Minnesota Cold Water Awareness Day on April 5, representatives of coldwaterwarning.com, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and the American Red Cross will discuss, demonstrate and warn of the debilitating effects of cold water on the human body. In addition, the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Water Patrol will display its water rescue equipment and talk about precautions to take when the water is cold enough to be life-threatening.

    The Minnesota Cold Water Awareness Day is an annual educational event designed to inform young and old about the dangers of sudden cold water submersion and deadly effects of cold water shock which occurs within seconds. The news conference is sponsored by coldwaterwarning.com which is dedicated to water safety education. This is the fourth annual conference. Each year the debilitating effects of cold water are demonstrated by a volunteer in a specially designed cold water experiment.

“We believe that our grandson accidentally drowned due to the effects of cold water shortly after he dived into the lake to swim a short distance from his boat to shore. He was a good swimmer – but cold water can stop the best of swimmers. If he had known this, maybe he would not have dived in,” says Ron Jacobson, one of the founders of coldwaterwarning.com. “It was a beautiful April afternoon – so easy to think it was mid-summer and that the water was safe – and it was not.”

Directions to the West Park Grounds Parking Lot of Harriet Island Regional Park: From WABASHA ST., go west on PLATO BLVD. to the park entrance at JUSTUS OHAGE BLVD. Follow signs to parking lot. (lat/long: 44.938, -93.097)

Click here to view the Official proclamation