On the sunny and extremely hot afternoon of June 19, residents of the city of Vilnius gathered near water bodies. The first "Swim not drown" project took place on one of the capital's beaches near Lake Balsi event, where swim coaches, public health professionals and firefighters joined forces to remind people about water safety and helping others in an emergency.
The event was started by the 6th team of the Vilnius County Fire Rescue Board, which had prepared a demonstration rescue operation. When asked by host Robert Lenartavičius about what most often drowns and how to help a person in distress, the rescuers emphasized: "Statistically, men drown more often than women, most of them are of working age. Also, in the last two years, as many as 45 percent of drowned Vilnius residents were found to have alcohol in their blood. These are preventable deaths, we just need more awareness and responsibility."
Vilnius city municipalities the specialists of the public health office, who recently changed their image and became "Vilnius healthier: the office of well-being", showed and told how to correctly provide first aid, what actions to take first, what are the basic rules of safe behavior in water.
"First of all, don't swim when you don't know the depth and bottom of the pool. It is dangerous to swim when overtired, under the influence of alcohol or psychotropic substances - an intoxicated person reacts inadequately to the environment and overestimates his capabilities, it is also important to have swimming skills. If it so happened that you pulled a drowning and unconscious person to the shore, perform artificial respiration - 2-5 breaths and 30 chest compressions, which must be repeated in a ratio of 2:30 - until the person regains vital functions or the medical personnel arrive," he shared his knowledge. "Vilnius viviau" public health specialists.
Swimming coaches, representing the Lithuanian Children and Youth Center, told where it is best to learn to swim, what parents who want to teach their children to swim correctly have to pay. The most important thing, according to them, is to focus all your attention on the child and be there with an outstretched hand.
The recommendations of specialists presenting an important topic to the public were supplemented and the good mood supported by the music performed by Justin Jarutis. The famous country singer said it's never too late to learn to swim.
"Swimming in the pool is like meditation for me - you try to feel the whole body, every muscle. Meditation spills over into creativity, so thoughts are often born while swimming. I have come up with quite a few clip ideas in the swimming pool," says J. Jarutis.
At the end of the event, all visitors to the Balsi lake beach had the opportunity to take part in physical activity activities and try a round of challenges, where they could win great prizes for the "Swim not drown" project for correctly answered questions.
It is planned to continue the project and organize other events on June 20, 22, 26 and 27, from 15:18 to XNUMX:XNUMX. On the beaches of Žirmūnai, Salote Lake, Valakampii I, Balsi Lake. Dates may change due to inclement weather.
Project partners: Lithuanian Children and Youth Center, which aims to draw attention to the increased drowning rate in the country, to encourage vacationers to be responsible and behave safely near water bodies. The project is partially financed Vilnius city municipality.
