Concerns Over Beach Safety During the Summer Season
As the summer tourist season reaches its peak, lifeguards are once again raising alarms about the behavior of beachgoers. It appears that many visitors are neglecting safety guidelines and flag signals.
Rosina, a frequent visitor to the Varna beach, shares her observations about the lack of discipline among vacationers. “I spend nearly every day at the beach, and I can confidently say that people disregard everything—neither the cleanliness of the beach nor the safety signals,” Rosina Minkova states.
Her sentiments are echoed by Stoyan, who has also witnessed beachgoers ignoring the established rules. “If the rules aren’t followed, what kind of beach will we have? It’s clear that they are not being adhered to,” comments Stoyan Stoyanov.
Challenges Faced by Lifeguards
This disregard for safety has undoubtedly made the lifeguards’ jobs more difficult. “Incidents in the water are becoming increasingly frequent, and we find ourselves assisting more people each year. There are often individuals who have been drinking and come from the bar. They tend to be less aware of the waves and any underwater hazards that may exist. We plead with them and signal for them to come out, but they often refuse. It’s not uncommon for us to end up having to rescue these individuals after repeatedly calling out to them,” explains Dobrin Dobrev.
Conflicts and Safety Measures
Serious conflicts on the beach are not uncommon either. “We have faced harsh words and even threats of violence,” Dobrev adds.
For this reason, lifeguards are once again calling for greater enforcement of beach safety regulations. “Our plea is for a dedicated beach police presence along the Black Sea. Bulgarians tend to respond to fines, and I believe that if a penalty is imposed for entering the water when the red flag is up, people will start to be more cautious,” says Dobrev.
Until that happens, the responsibility remains with the conscience and awareness of the beachgoers.
