Again, This is all from the books, as well as, common sense...so, I'm asking for "practical experience and advice".
My daughter wears a PFD with a WHISTLE attached, carries a pair of ICE PICKS, and has verbally gone through the 'scenario' repeatedly...
She's been "told" of the shock to expect from cold water immersion, knows to "turn" to face the direction she had walked from, has practiced "gripping and seperating" her ice picks, and understands how to use them...
We sit on floatation cushions on our buckets, carry a rope in our sled, and a blanket in our car...
We've let the bigger guys "test" the ice for us, and left the ice before them...
NEVER FISH ALONE ON THE ICE...!
She also knows that if anyone 'goes in', or anything 'abnormal' happens, she is to drop her gear, grab her cushion, and get on shore...
What else might help a beginner...?