– Let’s not be indifferent, and let’s alert the police whenever someone is at risk of hypothermia. One phone call is enough to save someone’s life, appeal the officers.
As every year, when a sharp cooling occurs in our country and outdoor temperatures fall close to or below zero, police officers appeal to everyone not to remain indifferent to another person’s misfortune. This concerns, of course, people who may suffer because of the cold.
It should be remembered that homeless people, the elderly and intoxicated people staying outdoors are particularly vulnerable to hypothermia. If we see such a person, let’s not hesitate to call the emergency number to notify officers. Every such report is checked immediately.
The autumn and winter period is a time when, during patrols, police officers pay closer attention to places where homeless people may seek shelter and spend the night. These are usually abandoned buildings, allotment gardens and garden huts. To keep warm, homeless people very often light fires in such places, which can be extremely dangerous.
Every year, police officers monitor the situation of these people. They themselves offer help to anyone who needs it—when they find such people, they always offer to take them to centers where it is warm, where they can eat a hot meal and sleep in normal conditions.
During the autumn and winter, elderly people living alone are also particularly vulnerable to hypothermia, as for various reasons they may be unable to cope with everyday tasks, such as stoking a furnace. If we know an elderly person who lives alone, we should not be ashamed to check in and ask whether they need our help. It should be remembered that there are centers and facilities where such a person can receive care and remain safe. Officers inform social assistance centers about people who, because of their age, loneliness, helplessness or difficult financial situation, may become potential victims as a result of hypothermia. We can also notify a social assistance center about the difficult situation of a neighbor or acquaintance.
As every year, police officers cooperate daily in this area with the Municipal Police, the Railway Protection Guard, the Border Guard and social assistance centers. However, reaching all those who need help requires a response not only from the services, but from every individual. That is why officers emphasize how important it is to get involved and inform social assistance centers about helpless, lonely and homeless people who need help.
– Let’s remember that it is everyone’s duty to respond to another person’s misfortune. Let’s not remain indifferent to those who, especially now, may need our help, the officers add. – One phone call to 112 or 997 is enough to protect someone from hypothermia and save a life.
KGP/ii