Summer safety

Here at Räddningstjänsten Syd, we think barbecue, boat and water safety are all part of a great summer! As is good fire safety equipment in your summer residence, whether it is on land or at sea. Here are our tips for a safe summer!

Water safety

Water safety is about how you learn to feel safe at bathing spots. But it can also be about safety around the pool in the garden or in a pond near your home.

• Always swim with someone else.
• Swim along the shore.
• Do not jump and dive into unknown waters.
• Never push anyone into the water, or hold them under – you don’t know if they can swim.
• Stay alert on beaches so you can quickly help someone in distress.
• Do not swim under jetties and diving platforms – you could get stuck or cut yourself on something.
• Inflatable toys are for near the shore – not out in open water.
• Only call for help if you are in distress.
• Check where rescue equipment such as lifebuoys, boats
  and any emergency phone are located, and whether there are lifeguards on duty.
• Do not play with lifebuoys or other rescue equipment – it might suddenly be needed.
• Do not run on the edge of the pool or on a jetty – you might slip.
• Always tell someone where you are going to swim and when you plan to come back.
• Never leave young children unattended when they are playing in or by the water, even if they are wearing buoyancy aids. Children can drown even in small quantities of water, including paddling pools, water butts and garden ponds.

Safe boating

• Always wear a life jacket.
• Everyone should know the basics. Teach children about on-board safety and get them involved.
• Check the weather forecast. If it is bad, stay at home – if you are already on the water, seek shelter or the nearest harbour.
• Do not head out into waters that the boat is not designed for.
• Always tell someone where you are going and when you plan to come back. If you change your plans, let someone at home know.
• It is your duty to familiarise yourself with the rules that apply on the water.
• Avoid being under the influence of alcohol – even small quantities increase the risk of an accident.
• Do not overload the boat, and sit down in the boat.
• If you fall into the water or the boat capsizes but remains floating, stay with the boat – you are safer there than swimming for land.
• Always have something to put between you and the person in distress, ‘an arm extension’.
• Slowly wave both arms over your head and to your sides if you need help.
• Make sure you have a bailer, an anchor, a lifeline and extra oars or paddles in the boat.
• Only call for help if you are in distress.
• Keep a mobile phone charged and close at hand, keep it dry.
• Do not discard litter, either on land or on the water. Take your rubbish home or put it in a bin.

Have you got it all?

Whether you are spending the summer at home, at your summer cottage or away somewhere, we want you to have the right fire safety equipment.

Want to know what we recommend?

Barbecue safety

Always keep your phone with you when you barbecue. Call 112 if there is a fire.

Gas barbecue

• Place the barbecue on a level surface.
• Make sure there is nothing flammable nearby.
• Check that the connectors are properly secure.
• Keep a powder extinguisher and safety gloves close at hand, so you can shut off the valve if a fire starts.
• Always have your phone with you in case something happens.

Charcoal barbecue

• Place the barbecue on a level surface.
• Make sure there is nothing flammable nearby.
• If you use lighter fluid, follow the instructions on the bottle and keep it a safe distance away.
• When finished, extinguish embers and ash with water or if your barbecue has a lid, place the barbecue in a safe place outdoors.
• Never empty ash directly into a bin, as it can burn for several hours afterwards.

Disposable barbecue

• Place the barbecue on a level surface.
• Make sure there is nothing flammable nearby.
• Have some water with you to extinguish the barbecue.
• Make sure the embers are entirely extinguished before you dispose of the barbecue in the assigned place.
• Always have your phone with you in case something happens.

Cooking on an open fire

• Preferably use a field kitchen, e.g. a portable gas stove.
• Light a fire only on sand and gravel.
• Never light a fire on peat or moss or on/against a rock.
• Take fuel from the ground and leave living trees alone.
• Have some water with you to extinguish the fire.
• Always have your phone with you in case something happens.
• Do not light a fire in strong winds, as the fire could easily spread. Check that there is no ban on lighting fires.