The Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service is reminding Winnipeggers to stay away from ice on waterways across the city.

This comes after emergency crews were called to a report of a person in the Red River near the Fort Garry Bridge on Tuesday afternoon.

Just before 3 p.m. yesterday, crews found a person, about 30 feet from shore, clinging to a sheet of ice. The WFPS Water Rescue team deployed a member on a specialized ice rescue sled anchored to shore. Once the firefighter on the sled reached the individual, they pulled the individual from the water and secured them on the sled. Members on shore then pulled the sled to safety.

A drone was also used to keep sight of the firefighter and the individual during the rescue. 

The patient was treated by paramedics on scene and then transported to hospital in critical condition.

It's unclear at this time how the person came to be in the water or how long they were there. 

"As temperatures cool and ice is forming, residents should use extreme caution around all Winnipeg waterways, including drainage ditches, culverts, streams, creeks, retention ponds, and rivers. Ice surfaces can be deceiving and unpredictable, especially when covered in snow. Ice may be thin and fragile despite not appearing so," The WFPS said in a press release. "Falling into ice-cold water can be deadly."

Last year, WFPS responded to approximately 150 water rescue calls.