2023-07-12 10:00:05
Summertime is bathing time: the holidays have begun and children are splashing happily in the water, the parents are relaxed. In the best case …
In a matter of seconds, this bathing fun can turn into a nightmare. With these tips you can avoid an accident in and around the water.
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ALWAYS have your child within reach!
Having children within sight is not enough! If the child gets their head under water, they become disoriented and cannot right themselves.
Then it doesn’t scream and doesn’t wave its arms!
If you go into the water with children, the following therefore applies: always be close enough to the child so that you can reach out at any time if the child is only slightly threatened with danger. This also applies to bathing in a lake, pool or shallow pond!
Don’t rely on armbands!
Children who cannot swim should wear armbands and only enter the water up to their waist.
Water wings should only be used in flat and shallow water
Foto: Getty Images
But be careful: the inflatable wings do not protect against drowning! As soon as a child with armbands comes into a supine or prone position, the head can easily get submerged. The swimming aids never replace adult supervision!
Do not dig near the water!
Important on the beach: Children should not dig near the waterline.
When the tide comes in, they can be surrounded unnoticed. In addition, the ground is soft, so that children can sink or fall.
Note the DLRG flag signals!
Yellow flag means: Danger, especially for children and non-swimmers. Red: absolute danger to life! bathing ban. Bathing times are posted on signs on North Sea beaches (with high and low tide). Avoid bathing at groynes or stone walls – dangerous currents are possible here.
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Tips from the pro
Michael Dietel is spokesman for Badeland Hamburg, the operator of all public baths in the Hanseatic city. Here you can read seven helpful tips from professionals so that safety is not neglected in addition to fun when cooling off in summer.
1. Be sure to cool down before bathing: Before you go into the cold water, you should cool down first. This is best done in the open air or swimming pool with available showers. A cat wash can be helpful by the sea or lake.
2. Water is not a place for carelessness: “The greatest dangers come from overconfidence, incorrect self-assessment, poor swimming skills or a lack of familiarity with the bathing area,” says Michael Dieter.
3. Do not underestimate the hidden risks in lakes: because it is usually not possible to see what is hidden under the surface, bathing lakes can pose a number of dangers. Creepers, unpredictable depths or cold currents can pose a risk.
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4. Beware of currents, undercurrents, suction and tidal forces: Even experienced swimmers can get into trouble with strong currents. Michael Dietel warns: “The water should be avoided, especially where ships are sailing. Because dangerous stern waves and back currents can easily occur in their vicinity.”
5. Lots of air – little safety: “Anyone who is on an air mattress, a rubber dinghy or something similar can easily drift off. Particular caution applies here for non-swimmers,” explains the spokesman for the bath country. Despite the safe feeling, children should only ever use air mattresses, armbands and the like under supervision.
6. Avoid leaps into the unknown: Leaps can be dangerous, especially in lakes and the sea. Dietel warns: “Anyone who jumps into unknown water is playing with their health and their life. This is especially true for dives near the shore or in shallow water.”
Only jump into known waters
7. Protection from the sun and thunderstorms: when the sun is shining, sunscreen is a must, even in the shade. The UV-B rays are even stronger in water, because the water acts like a mirror. If there is an (approaching) thunderstorm, you should definitely leave the water: swimming in this weather is life-threatening.
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