Lifeguards are missing: School classes are not allowed to go to the Eldena lido!

Lifeguards are missing: School classes are not allowed to go to the Eldena lido!

At the popular Eldena lido in Greifswald, a local school class recently caused a stir: they were unable to swim as planned because there were no lifeguards on site. However, this situation is not uncommon because according to a report by Baltic Sea newspaper There is no legal requirement for the constant presence of a lifeguard at the Eldena lido. Bathing is at your own risk, which many bath users may not know.

The DLRG Greifswald, which has around 200 members, provides around 40 active lifeguards for the Eldena beach. Nevertheless, many volunteers work and are therefore not available at all times. In addition, some are still minors and therefore cannot do security work alone. André Bleckmann, chairman of the DLRG Greifswald, said that reliable daily manning of the watchtower cannot be guaranteed.

Obligation to supervise and organize swimming activities

A special regulation applies to organized groups such as school classes: you must ensure that at least one supervisor has a valid lifeguard license. The DLRG Greifswald offers lifeguard training courses twice a year, which are an important opportunity for those interested to acquire the necessary qualifications. Both the German Lifeguard Badge Bronze and Gold can be obtained. The course content is described in detail in this overview.

To ensure that school classes and kindergartens are covered in an emergency, they should clarify early on whether they have their own lifeguard or need additional support from the DLRG. Requests for external lifeguards can be made easily by email to DLRG Greifswald.

Swimming badges and water safety

An important aspect of water safety are the swimming badges, which have different requirement profiles in accordance with the DLRG specifications. These badges not only demonstrate swimming ability, but also knowledge of water hazards and first aid. The most well-known include the German swimming badges bronze, silver and gold, which are acquired in a structured training process. A detailed description of the individual badges is below dlrg.de available.

For many children and young people, the seahorse is their first step into the water, but this badge is not enough to represent the duty of supervision. In order to be able to swim without restrictions, the other badges are essential, which internalize knowledge of self-rescue and rescue.

The DLRG Greifswald is in tune with the times with its training work, but is also aware of the challenges. The DLRG is faced with major tasks in particular when it comes to combining work and volunteer work. Nevertheless, the willingness of the members to work towards safety on the water is remarkable and will continue to be of great importance for the safety of bathers at the Eldena lido.