Evergreen Lake skating rink won't open this week

The always popular ice skating rink on Evergreen Lake won't open this weekend as originally planned, as it's still considered too dangerous for people wanting to ice skate.

Evergreen Park & Recreation District, Open Space and the Jefferson County Sheriff's Department are upping their game this year when it comes to safety around the ice. A death from earlier this year is a big reason for it. 

A man fell through the ice and was in the water for 30 minutes before emergency crews could get to him. He later died. 

Local agencies, including the fire department, recently met to talk about ways to share resources.

"We're planning better," said Captain Stacee Martin with Evergreen Fire Rescue. "We're working together so we're on the same page."

Evergreen Parks & Recreation runs the ice skating rink on the west side of Evergreen Lake, but on the east side, ice fishermen are on the lake at their own risk. The recreation district posted additional signs warning of thin ice. Staff at the lake also handed out new ice safety pamphlets to anyone on the lake.

Denver7 talked with Chuck as he ice-fished. He's a fan of the newly-charged safety effort.

"It's nice to see that they're trying to get people to pay attention to it again," said Chuck. "Too many people come out and they just wander out on the ice not knowing where they're going or why."

Four people have fallen through the ice in 2015 alone with another cold season just beginning.

"Minutes count... seconds count, in this case," said Martin. "Don't be a victim."

Martin said if you see someone fall through the ice, don't go after them. Instead, call 911 and if you have a something like a ladder, stick or a pole, you can try to reach them that way. You can also try to throw the victim anything that floats such as a cooler or a spare tire.