The daily lives of Palanga rescuers: from curses to requests for loyalty testimony

Palanga rescue commander Jonas Pirožnikas says rescuers have to deal with the strangest requests from tourists on the job.

A few days ago, beach rescuers received a request from a girl to testify to her boyfriend that she had not kissed another boy in the dunes.

It seemed like a valid request to her, because there was a lifeguard cabin nearby, so they saw everything.

Rescuers often have to scrape drunk people who have fallen asleep at night or watch relationship dramas.

“A few days ago there was a call in which the boy got mad at the girl and the boy threatened to drown. We also have to respond to these types of inquiries, although in reality people do not need the help of rescuers, but psychologists, ”says J.Pirožnikas.

Avoidable deaths

Juras Kilijonas, who works as a rescuer in Palanga, agrees with J.Pirožnik: everything happens during work.

“People look at their health with indifference. It happens that those who have problems with cardiovascular diseases feel bad about the heat and feel that the water will revive them.

However, the opposite happens: they get even worse in the sea and can sink into the water even where they feel the bottom ”, says the rescuer about the dangers that lurk on the seashore.

J.Kilijonas emphasizes that if you feel unwell due to the heat, you should immediately contact rescuers, who urgently take the person to the closest point where they can be picked up by ambulance doctors. And precious minutes are not wasted when a person can still be saved.

Instead of giving thanks, throw lightning

However, not all tourists want to be rescued, there are also those who are angry with the attention of the coast guards.

“There was a case where a man of respectable age decided to go to Sweden to see him,” says the rescuer. – He sank into the sea and began to move away. I swam so far that I couldn’t even see it with my binoculars. I had to ask for help from the staff at the jet ski rental point located in the countries.

We got along well with them: the men sat on motorcycles and swam past the swimmer. But when he returned to shore he was very angry, he said that we were unnecessarily preventing him from being a swimmer. However, we don’t know when even the best swimmer can have a heart attack, we can’t even help when we can’t see where they are swimming and if they are still swimming, ”says J. Kilijonas about the work of rescuers.

Although more and more vacationers understand and respect their rights and obligations, there are still those who do not know them.

“The most disobedient are the Lithuanian vacationers. Most of them argue after drinking, more attached to the rescuers in the lapels. Even the Russians do not do that, they can explain that everything is different with them, but they do not attack, they accept the rules” says the rescuer.

J. Kilijonas warns that the least problems are caused by tourists who choose the blue flag in the beach section: they are more aware and avoid drinking alcohol.

The Blue Flag is a recognized and world-famous eco-label.

It is customary to comply with extremely strict ecological requirements and protect nature on the beaches of this flag.

This part of the beach is non-smoking.

“Unfortunately, as practice shows, tourists who consume alcoholic beverages are probably the biggest contenders for future drowning. We take a closer look at people who drink and sometimes even ask those who are more on the beach than avoid disaster, ”says the rescuer.