Places of mass recreation

As warm weather sets in, residents and visitors of our town go out into the countryside to water bodies in their free time to relax and recharge amidst nature. Often, while relaxing, citizens forget about water safety measures, which leads to tragic consequences.

In 2015, 78 people drowned in the region, including 6 minors (4 boys and 2 girls), which is 46 fewer than in the same period last year. Of those who drowned, 38 were urban residents and 40 lived in rural areas, including 65 men and 7 women. In the Lepel district, 4 people drowned in water bodies in 2015.

To ensure public order, personal and property safety of citizens in places of mass recreation, children's camps, and to prevent deaths in water, fires in forests and peatlands, and to effectively influence the operational situation, the internal affairs department of the Lepel District Executive Committee deploys police patrols in places of mass recreation to ensure that nothing disturbs people's rest. The presence of a police officer in uniform in places of mass recreation makes holidaymakers more disciplined, reducing the risk of accidents. The measures taken to ensure public order in places of mass recreation are aimed at reducing the risk of accidents and various offences against holidaymakers.

In this regard, we would like to clarify the following: recreation areas, forests, riverbanks, lakes, beaches, etc., are public places during citizens' recreation. Administrative responsibility will arise if the consumption of alcoholic and low-alcohol beverages occurs in public view. Do not forget about responsibility for violating environmental safety regulations and nature management order, as well as fire safety regulations.

Appearing in public places while intoxicated, to the detriment of human dignity and morality, means the appearance of a person in a state of alcoholic or other intoxication, who is grossly violating generally accepted norms of behaviour through loud shouting, loss of shame, and indecent appearance (dirty, wet, unbuttoned clothing) that evokes disgust and revulsion.

For law-breaking citizens, measures of responsibility are provided for committing administrative offences: drinking alcoholic, low-alcohol beverages or beer in a public place or appearing in a public place while intoxicated (Art. 17.3 of the Code of Administrative Offences of the Republic of Belarus) entails a fine of up to 8 basic units; in case of repeated commission within a year – from 2 to 15 basic units or administrative arrest; setting fires in prohibited places (Art. 15.58 of the Code of Administrative Offences of the Republic of Belarus) – a warning or a fine of up to 12 basic units; polluting forests and other woody and shrubby vegetation by citizens (Art. 15.30 of the Code of Administrative Offences of the Republic of Belarus) – a warning or a fine of up to 50 basic units; swimming in prohibited places (Art. 23.63 of the Code of Administrative Offences of the Republic of Belarus) – from 1 to 3 basic units.

For the 3 months of the current year, 336 citizens have been prosecuted for appearing in public places while intoxicated, and 37 citizens have been brought to administrative responsibility for drinking alcoholic beverages in public places, including 20 people for drinking low-alcohol beverages and beer.

It is dangerous to swim while intoxicated, in prohibited and unequipped places, to go boating in a faulty or unequipped boat, to sit on its sides, to move from one place to another or from one boat to another while moving.

Swimming should be done no earlier than 1.5 – 2 hours after a meal.

Those who cannot swim are not allowed to use boats, inflatable devices, or other items not equipped with special swimming aids.

Do not swim alone, in the dark, or in rough seas.

Do not jump into water in places with unknown depth and bottom relief.

Do not swim far from the shore; assess your strength.

Do not leave children unattended near water bodies.

Do not jump into the water from dams, piers, boats, or vessels;

Do not give false distress signals;

Do not use boards, logs, inflatable mattresses, car inner tubes, or other auxiliary means for swimming;

Lack of parental control leads to the loss of their children. It should be remembered that water does not forgive carelessness.

To avoid accidents and the loss of your loved ones and children, please observe the above rules and safety measures on the water. In case of emergencies, you can report them to the police by calling 102, the Ministry of Emergency Situations rescue service by calling 101, or the ambulance service by calling 103.

Head of the Department for Law and Order Protection
and Prevention of the Lepel District Department of Internal Affairs
Police Lieutenant Colonel Mikhno I.A.