Short Scenarios of Great Tragedies

According to the OSOVOD (Belarusian Voluntary Society for the Rescue of the Drowning) data, 15 people have died in the water bodies of the Vitebsk region since the beginning of the year, including two children.

According to the OSOVOD data, 15 people have died in the water bodies of the Vitebsk region since the beginning of the year, including two children.

A mother stepped away – a child was left unsupervised near a water body… He started boasting to his peers about his swimming skills and misjudged his strength… They went fishing with friends and never returned… These are the short scenarios of serious tragedies, the finale of which claims children's lives.

Hot summer days spent by the water body undoubtedly bring not only pleasure but also contribute to the strengthening of schoolchildren's physical health. However, unfortunately, being a good swimmer does not guarantee complete safety.
Last year, on July 1st, tragic events unfolded on the Dnieper River in the Dubrovno district. In the evening, three boys and three girls, after attending a dance club, persuaded a House of Culture employee to take them to the river. While the woman was locking up the facility, the boys rushed to the water body. One of them started boasting about his diving skills. During his next jump from a tyre, he was caught by the current. The child drowned.

In 2016, water claimed the lives of four underage residents of the Vitebsk region. Moreover, even a small water body can lead to a major tragedy.

For instance, at the end of June in Vitebsk, a first-grader fell into an artificial pond located in a new residential area on General Ivanovsky Street. A passer-by rushed to help the boy. An ambulance crew arrived at the scene, but after resuscitation efforts, the child's death was confirmed.

A sad report about a drowned minor this year came from the Beshenkovichi district. According to media reports, nothing foreshadowed danger in the village of Rubesh. On June 4th, around 5:30 PM, a 2-year-old boy was spending time outdoors near a private house with his mother. When the woman stepped away to get juice for the child, the boy was left unsupervised. Ten minutes later, the mother could not find her son in the yard. The grandmother joined the search and discovered her grandson in an artificial pond located on the property. Arriving paramedics confirmed the death of the minor.

Why does a child need to know water safety rules? Reading through each case, behind which lies the immense grief of parents and relatives of drowned children, the answer becomes obvious.

Knowing water safety rules will ensure your child is protected from accidents, even if they are a good swimmer or rarely visit the beach. It should be noted that individuals under sixteen require adult supervision while swimming to prevent emergencies and provide assistance in unforeseen situations.

However, even with close adult supervision, other precautions should not be forgotten during summer recreation:

- Swimming is only permitted in designated safe areas to avoid injuries from broken glass, logs, or uneven underwater terrain.
- Do not enter the water during a thunderstorm.
- If a child is a weak swimmer, they should not go into deep water. Even with inflatable rings or floats, they should swim as close to the shore as possible.
- If the water temperature is below 18°C, do not swim in it, as it can cause cramps. The air temperature should be 20-25°C or higher. If cramps occur, lie on your back and swim towards the shore, rubbing the affected body part with your hands.
- If caught in a strong current, do not try to fight or resist it – it is futile. Yield to the current but try to swim towards the shore.
- If several children are swimming together, explain to them that rough play and wrestling are dangerous, no matter how much fun they may seem.
- To avoid overheating in the sun, do not swim between noon and 4 p.m. Always use sunscreen and wear a hat.

Young children must always be within the sight of their parents and within arm's reach near water. Do not entrust older children with supervising younger ones. It should be remembered that all inflatable swimming aids – rings, balls, colourful mattresses, and even armbands and life jackets – are merely toys, not safety devices. Therefore, with the slightest damage, these items can become an additional risk factor.

In recent years, inflatable pools have become very popular. Many parents consider them completely safe, but this is a misconception. Inflatable pools have soft sides over which a child can lean and dive headfirst into the water. Even a toddler who has just learned to walk can do this.

Always keep an eye on a child in the swimming pool. There are additional dangers here: filters and pumps can cause bodily harm, and long hair can get tangled in them.

If the pool is to be left for a prolonged period, it must be fenced with a barrier high enough to prevent a child from climbing over it. This also applies to artificial ponds located on private properties. Do not forget that water barrels and other large containers also pose a danger.