Security Guards
On weekends and on local holidays the VIST posts guards on the Kreidesee. The trained guards possess 6 oxygen appliances, 3 guard boats, 1 warm guard post with two beds and other rescue appliances. They are on duty around 09:00 – 16:00 at the lake (correspondingly longer in the summer).
Their presence can be detected by the raised flag on top of the guard house, although, this does not mean that the guards are always at the guard post. During the week please turn directly to the diving base or to 112 via the emergency telephone. Please don’t forget to inform us if you called 112!
In case of an emergency the guards will perform first aid, until the paramedics and emergency doctors arrive. Afterwards they lend support to rescue workers and the police in securing the diving equipment.
The recue boat
Rescue with the boat also falls into the responsibilities of the guards and is rehearsed often on weekends. Therefore there is no need to be alarmed if you see a guard taking rounds in the boat.
In case you have a small problem there is no need to set the entire rescue team into motion, instead turn to the posted guards or the diving base. A competent employee will help you and call the emergency doctor if needed. Otherwise you could find yourself in a helicopter, flying to Kiel and the tingling in your fingertips was only caused by the cold.
The guards also control maximum diving depth and the necessary diving gear, and so can also be seen at the rear lake entrance sometimes.
You can recognize them by their red shirts and jackets, and they also have a walkie-talkie, first-aid backpack and a safety check list.
Guard inspections
The inspections of the guards are mandatory by say of the regulatory office and serve the safety at the Kreidesee. Since the guards have been posted, our accident rate has fallen below 0.013% and is therefore under the general average. Seeing as we only have to randomly check divers it could be that a diver gets checked twice in one day and another diver doesn’t get checked all year, so no one should get mad because we all have to deal with this!
Those who break the lake’s rules and are “caught” by the guards could receive a ban from the lake and be reported to the regulatory offices. Those who cause accidents due to carelessness generally receive a diving ban! For breaking of rules and careless dives no insurance will cover your costs.
The instructions and inspections of the VIST guards are to be absolutely complied with.
Emergency telephones
3 emergency telephones exist at the lake. In the case of an emergency the rescue team can be set into motion from here. The telephones are located at the green container next to the fish farm (near entrance 5), at the guard container and in between entrance 3 and 4. All important emergency numbers are unlocked.
During operational hours of the diving base you can make emergency calls with the following numbers.
First aid: 0 47 71 – 79 21
Guards: 0 47 71 – 77 34
Diving doctor: 0 47 71 – 74 67 and 64 23 41
Outside of operating hours of the diving base you can directly call 112
Because of you
REMEMBER!: Recklessly caused rescue operations are to be paid out of your own pocket! The cause of the rescue operation must pay even if he did not send the alarm. Experience shows that a deployment of rescue forces can run up to 15.000€!
The motto “rather one time too many than one time to few” is usually right, but it should never even come to that because many rescue operations come with new forms from the regulatory offices.
Also you should keep in mind that extra and carelessly bound rescue forces at the Kreidesee could really have been used at another rescue operation. Here out in the country not every village has an ambulance sitting around.
What does it mean to not set an alarm too soon?
You should always keeps in mind to not set an alarm too soon. A missing diver for instance can’t be found by paramedics and emergency doctors, who will be standing at the water’s edge waiting. Generally the missing diver surfaces after a couple of minutes after a regulation safety stop and won’t understand all the commotion!
Always react calmly and level-headed and don’t slip into panic. Your partner will not drown because he is out of eyesight shortly.
Safety
NOTE:
Since 2000, insurance will not pay for hyperbaric therapy that is needed because of diving accidents.
For this reason every diver needs an additional diving insurance to avoid a private financial disaster. You can find good insurance here!
