Summer by the water: life-saving rules
A summer body of water is a great place to relax, but water does not forgive carelessness. The Ministry of Emergency Situations reminds: most tragedies occur due to underestimation of risks and lack of control.
Child Safety: A Zone of Special Attention
Unlike in movies, where a drowning person loudly cries for help and waves their arms, in real life, people drown quietly and imperceptibly. This is one of the most important facts that every adult should know.
This is precisely why the "reach" rule applies when swimming: young children should be in the water at a distance that allows you to instantly touch them with your hand.
No gadgets or distractions from conversations when a child is in the water or near the shore.
Parents, remember: armbands and inflatable rings are just toys. They can deflate, slip off, or flip over.
Absolutely refuse to consume alcoholic beverages while relaxing by the water, especially if children are with you! Alcohol on the beach is the main source of tragedies, which instantly disables parental instincts.
Hidden Dangers: Inflatable Mattresses
The tragic death of two children in August 2023 brings us back to the annual problem of swimming on inflatable mattresses. Despite the fact that the children were under adult supervision, the tragedy could not be avoided.
Parents! An inflatable mattress is a means for relaxing on the shore, not for swimming.
Mattresses have high windage. A minimal gust of wind can flip it over, and the current can carry it far from the shore in minutes. Any puncture from a shell, snag, or a split seam instantly turns the float into a sinking piece of rubber.
Modern Trends: Safety on SUP Boards
Stand-up paddleboarding is rapidly gaining popularity but requires strict adherence to safety rules.
Always attach the safety leash to your leg. If you fall, the board will not float away from you. A life jacket is a mandatory condition for going on the water on any watercraft.
Deadly Jump: The Danger of Diving
Diving in unfamiliar or unequipped areas is a direct path to disability or death. This point requires maximum strictness in wording, as jumping into the water headfirst or "like a fish" in unequipped areas or with an unexamined bottom leaves almost no chance of survival.
Snags, submerged logs, concrete slabs, rebar, or stones can be hidden underwater. Hitting the bottom with your head leads to a fracture of the cervical vertebrae and instant paralysis.
Do not dive into the water; enter it by stepping in, gradually exploring the bottom of the water body.
Rescuers urge: teach children to swim from an early age! No prohibitions can replace a child's confident swimming skills and awareness of danger.