Safety warnings ahead of Midsummer festival in Latvia

Take note – story published 1 year ago

The Midsummer festival in Latvia is always a busy time for all emergency services. The State Emergency Medical Service (NMPD) posted an annual reminder on June 20 to stay safe during the festival and celebrate responsibly.

According to NMPD's data, every year during the Midsummer festival, around 600 people get serious injuries that need the attention of the emergency service. Every other injury occurs while being intoxicated, said NMPD.

To prevent accidents, NMPD asked the public to observe basic safety rules.

As reported earlier, Latvia has been leading the European Union in drowning statistics for a while now, and the situation does not seem to be improving. NMPD reminds the public to never go swimming while intoxicated, in unknown places, alone, during the night, or dive head-first into unknown waters. Watch children near the waters at all times.

Midsummer is usually accompanied by bonfires, and the Latvian tradition is to jump over them. Last year, 41 people got serious burns near bonfires and grills. Beware of flames and hot surfaces, and keep an eye on children. Remember synthetic clothing can catch fire from a single spark. Also, when enjoying your grilled meat or veg, eat slowly and do not choke – NMPD is called for choking cases every Midsummer.

Finally, NMPD reminds the public that you should always check the address of where you are celebrating so in case anything happens you do not get lost, and if NMPD has to be called, they can find you quickly.

Call NMPD at 113 in case of emergencies and life-threatening situations. For everyday injuries or mild acute illnesses, call the general practitioner consultation phone at 66016001. 

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