Riga’s swimming areas are ready for the swimming season: in Vecāki, safety will be monitored with an unmanned aerial vehicle

On Friday, May 20, the Riga Municipal Police (RPP) and the Department of Housing and Environment officially opened the swimming season in all swimming areas of the capital. There are a total of nine swimming spots in Riga – Daugavgrīva, Vakarbulļi, Vecāki, Rumbula, Bābelītī, Ķīsala, Ķīšezer, as well as Lucavsala and Lucavsala bay.

“Considering that the development of waterways and waterfronts in Riga is a priority, it is of course also related to the issue of safety near and on the water. In order for recreation by the water to go without incidents, every year we implement proactive actions – such as the purchase of additional technical means for the needs of the Riga Municipality Police, so that lifeguards are technically secured and appropriately equipped to perform tasks in the widest possible area, and we also work on human resources (lifeguards) challenges – their quality preparation and financial motivation. We wish everyone – both RPP lifeguards and vacationers – to enjoy and spend a safe and sunny summer on our Riga beaches!” emphasized Linda Ozola, Vice-Mayor of Riga, Chair of the Security, Order and Corruption Prevention Committee.

At the event, RPP specialists said that, basically, security guards will monitor water safety in swimming areas every day from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. At night, if necessary, help can be received at seven lifeguard stations (all except Ķīpsala and Daugavgrīva), however, it should be taken into account that there are fewer lifeguards working in swimming areas during night shifts than during the day. A special novelty in the work of lifeguards this year is an unmanned aerial vehicle, which will be used mainly in the largest swimming area – Vecāki, in order to be able to more effectively monitor the almost kilometer-long area.

The representative of the Department of Housing and Environment, Tatjana Židele, informed that this year 12 new changing cabins were installed in the capital’s swimming areas – six in Vakarbulļi swimming area, four in Daugavgrīva and two in Ķipsala. This year, new footbridges have also been installed in Večaki, as well as a new and spacious changing cabin for people with mobility impairments. The Vakarbulļi swimming area, on the other hand, has been improved this year with seven additional two-sided rest benches.

The swimming spot “Īpsala” located in the Daugava near the Vanšu bridge was added to the list of official swimming spots this month, thus there are now eight official swimming spots in Riga. RPP lifeguard stations operate in Riga’s official swimming areas, during the swimming season sanitary facilities, garbage containers, changing cabins are installed on the beaches, garbage is collected daily, the top layer of sand is loosened twice a month, the swimming area is fenced off with buoys. Several swimming areas have beach volleyball courts, children’s playgrounds and complexes of outdoor exercise equipment. There is no official status for the swimming place in Ķīšezer, but there is also a lifeguard station near it.

The Blue Flag will fly on two Riga beaches – Vecāki and Vakarbulļi – again this year, which is a confirmation of international environmental standards and the quality of the improvement works carried out by the municipality. More information about Riga’s swimming areas is available here: https://www.riga.lv/lv/rigas-pilsetas-peldvietas

Last season, RPP lifeguards rescued five drowning swimmers, provided medical assistance to 95 vacationers, and found and handed over 20 lost children to their parents. “We invite residents to choose one of the nine places where lifeguards work for recreation by the water. This appeal is especially true for parents with children. It should also be remembered that a lifeguard is not a babysitter – every year we find cases in which parents leave their offspring alone in the swimming pool, but go shopping or other business. Such behavior is dangerous,” emphasizes RPP chief specialist Jānis Skrims.

The police also remind that recreation by the water is not compatible with alcohol – drinking alcohol at the swimming pool is not only an administrative violation, but also dangerous, as vacationers often behave recklessly under the influence of alcohol, endangering their life and health. In addition, quenching your thirst with alcoholic beverages actually has the opposite effect of dehydrating you, which in turn creates risks of overheating in sunny weather.

Informāciju sagatavoja: Mārtiņš Vilemsons, Rīgas domes Komunikācijas pārvaldes Ārējās komunikācijas nodaļas projektu koordinators