A man is crediting firefighters — and his watch — for saving his life after he fell through ice in Somersworth, New Hampshire, over the weekend.“And, of course, the hard part is thinking about my family, and nobody ever wants to get a call like that,” William Rogers said.The tech school teacher has been ice skating his whole life. On Sunday, he was on Salmon Falls River in Somersworth when the ice broke.“It was just that terrible feeling. ‘Oh my God. I’m going in the water,’” Rogers said.His glove was still on the ice next to the hole Rogers fell through when sister station WMUR visited the spot Monday.”First thing I did was try to walrus up on the ice knowing that I needed to get out of the water as quickly as possible and the ice just kept breaking underneath me,” Rogers said. No one was around and he couldn’t reach his phone. He was in the water for several minutes as hypothermia started setting in.“I remember telling myself, ‘OK, don’t panic. Don’t panic. Figure out what your options are here,’” Rogers said.As his breathing labored, Rogers turned to his Apple Watch. “It worked. Saved my life, I think,” Rogers said.He called 911. “So, I told them that I probably had 10 minutes before I was not gonna be able to respond anymore,” Rogers said.Somersworth firefighters were there in five minutes, who threw him a line and pulled him out.“I’m really grateful for them. So, thank those folks. I thank them,” Rogers said.“(He) kept his wits about him. He remained calm and he did what he had to do to ensure his survival,” Chief George Kramlinger of the Somersworth Fire Department said.This time of year, firefighters say going on ice is a gamble, especially over rivers.“It’s just really a dangerous situation getting on the ice and like I said, at this point, no ice is safe,” Kramlinger said.Rogers learned that the hard way.“Don’t go onto the ice unless you know exactly how thick it is,” Rogers said.Firefighters said ice is just too unpredictable in warmer weather, even for those who are experienced as Rogers is.
A man is crediting firefighters — and his watch — for saving his life after he fell through ice in Somersworth, New Hampshire, over the weekend.
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“And, of course, the hard part is thinking about my family, and nobody ever wants to get a call like that,” William Rogers said.
The tech school teacher has been ice skating his whole life. On Sunday, he was on Salmon Falls River in Somersworth when the ice broke.
“It was just that terrible feeling. ‘Oh my God. I’m going in the water,’” Rogers said.
His glove was still on the ice next to the hole Rogers fell through when sister station WMUR visited the spot Monday.
“First thing I did was try to walrus up on the ice knowing that I needed to get out of the water as quickly as possible and the ice just kept breaking underneath me,” Rogers said.
No one was around and he couldn’t reach his phone. He was in the water for several minutes as hypothermia started setting in.
“I remember telling myself, ‘OK, don’t panic. Don’t panic. Figure out what your options are here,’” Rogers said.
As his breathing labored, Rogers turned to his Apple Watch.
“It worked. Saved my life, I think,” Rogers said.
He called 911.
“So, I told them that I probably had 10 minutes before I was not gonna be able to respond anymore,” Rogers said.
Somersworth firefighters were there in five minutes, who threw him a line and pulled him out.
“I’m really grateful for them. So, thank those folks. I thank them,” Rogers said.
“(He) kept his wits about him. He remained calm and he did what he had to do to ensure his survival,” Chief George Kramlinger of the Somersworth Fire Department said.
This time of year, firefighters say going on ice is a gamble, especially over rivers.
“It’s just really a dangerous situation getting on the ice and like I said, at this point, no ice is safe,” Kramlinger said.
Rogers learned that the hard way.
“Don’t go onto the ice unless you know exactly how thick it is,” Rogers said.
Firefighters said ice is just too unpredictable in warmer weather, even for those who are experienced as Rogers is.
