Technical breakdowns on Lake Senftenberg: Water rescue service fights for help!

Technical breakdowns on Lake Senftenberg: Water rescue service fights for help!

The security situation at Senftenberg Lake is a topic of conversation these days. The German Red Cross (DRK) water rescue service is observing a worrying increase in rescue operations. During the high season in July and August, when thousands of holidaymakers and day visitors populate the beaches, these operations come into focus. Technical problems pose particular challenges, such as capsized boats, defective engines or broken masts, which are occurring more frequently in the current summer season than ever before. According to Niederlausitz Aktuell, the water rescue service records up to eight volunteer rescuers in action every day.

A current example is an incident in which a sailing boat capsized in the Buchwalde area due to a gust of wind. The water rescue team's volunteers were there immediately. Fortunately, the two sailors remained uninjured apart from slight hypothermia. The Senftenberg fire department helped transport the sailors to the city harbor, where they were handed over to their sailing buddies after a medical examination. The rescue of the capsized boat took around 1.5 hours and ended successfully: the boat was righted and pumped out before it was towed to its home port in Großkoschen. This operation marked the first of the water rescue service this year, which lasted a total of around three hours and included the use of both lifeboats and seven emergency services, reports DRK Lausitz.

Challenges and security concerns

The DRK water rescue service not only faces capsizes, but also unsupervised children on stand-up boards. The latter can lead to tricky situations in certain situations, especially if you are traveling without life jackets. In the previous season, 79 medical aids were provided in 200 boat missions. The entire team, consisting of around 40 active water rescuers, works more than 110 hours per season. These volunteers ensure that safety and first aid is available on site - from band-aids for minor injuries to saving lives in critical moments.

The DRK water rescue service has therefore launched a donation-based appeal to finance a new sonar device for locating missing people. There are still around 2,000 euros missing. It is clear: the water rescuers need both personnel and financial support in order to be able to work even more efficiently this summer. The aim of the service is to ensure that every member is optimally equipped during the season and that their deployment times can be well organized.

The role of water rescue in Germany

Water rescue is very important in Germany, not only on coasts but also in inland waters. The German Life Saving Society (DLRG) and other organizations such as the DRK-Wasserwacht play a crucial role in ensuring safety on the water. The tasks are diverse: intervening in emergencies, monitoring water sports and carrying out first aid measures in the immediate vicinity of the water are just a few of them. Anyone with time and commitment can become part of this valuable community and actively support water safety. Those interested can find further information on the [DLRG] website (https://www.dlrg.de/mitmachen/wasserrettungsdienst/).

This swimming season, everyone who wants to have fun on and in the water is invited to act responsibly. Safe control and supervision, especially with children, are crucial to avoid accidents. The water rescue service and its teams are ready to help quickly if an incident should occur.