Which items can be used to reach a victim if necessary?

• A. Ladders, Pike Poles, Oars or Paddles
• B. Ropes and Grapnels
• C. Sledgehammers
• D. Nets

Answer: (A)

Extending reach safely to a victim on or near thin ice relies on tools that let you contact or reach them from a secure position. Ladders give you a stable platform or access point to reach across a gap without stepping onto unsupported ice. A pike pole is long and slender, designed to probe, push, and create contact from a distance, which helps you reach the person while keeping yourself away from the edge. An oar or paddle can serve as an improvised reach tool to extend your reach and guide or pull the victim toward safety from a safer location. Ropes and grapnels are mainly for securing lines or anchoring and aren’t direct reach tools, sledgehammers are for breaking ice, and nets don’t provide a practical reach contact. So the items used to reach a victim are ladders, pike poles, and oars or paddles.