Regardless of how we plan to spend the coming months, let us take care of our safety and that of our loved ones. As every year, police officers will watch over the safety of people travelling and relaxing throughout the country.
The Ministry of the Interior and Administration and the Police also encourage people to “take” the free “MOJA KOMENDA” app with them on their holiday trip—a mobile service that makes it easier to locate Police headquarters and stations. The app gives every user quick access to information about the addresses and telephone numbers of police facilities. Thanks to this, even when we are in a place we do not know well, we can easily find the nearest police unit and contact it with a single click. “Moja Komenda” is available for phones running iOS and Android. It can be downloaded from the App Store and Google Play.
The service was created for people who contact the Police in situations other than those posing a threat to life or health. In emergencies, use the numbers 112 or 997.
Another useful tool for improving safety, not only during the holiday season, is the NATIONAL SAFETY THREAT MAP. The “Map” is available on the website www.policja.pl, and its interface has been designed so that every citizen can use it without difficulty.
The interactive website can be used to report threats occurring in the local area. The Police verify all reports, and confirmed threats are added to the map, along with information about threats originating from police IT systems. This means that at any time we can check whether the area is safe and report worrying situations we have observed.
When using the Safety Threat Map, let us also remember that in emergencies requiring immediate intervention, we should call 997 or 112.
Before planning a trip
When planning a holiday, we increasingly use online offers. They include attractive resorts, hotels and guesthouses, but there are also advertisements posted by fraudsters offering nonexistent accommodation and extorting money as deposits.
Therefore, before transferring money for a stay, it is worth checking whether the provider is listed in the database of the marshal’s office, municipal office or city office. Let us look for the property on an online map, check its website and read reviews from people who have visited it.
We should always check organizers and facilities offering holidays for children and young people. This can be done in the online database maintained by the Ministry of National Education: www.wypoczynek.men.gov.pl. It contains all information about camps, holiday colonies and other types of organized recreation. Also, on bezpiecznyautobus.gov.pl, entering the registration number of the coach taking children on holiday provides free information on whether the vehicle has up-to-date technical inspections and an insurance policy.
How can you stay safe while travelling?
If we are planning to travel by car, let us check its technical condition, headlight alignment and equipment beforehand. The car must contain a fire extinguisher and a warning triangle, but it is also worth carrying other items, such as a first-aid kit and a reflective vest. In view of increased traffic on the roads, it is worth preparing in advance and considering alternative routes. This way, if roadworks or a traffic incident cause difficulties, we will be able to take another route.
It is best to set off on a longer journey well rested, preferably after 7–8 hours of sleep. When estimating how long we want to take to cover the planned distance, we should allow for breaks that will help us overcome fatigue and rest from a seated position.
When using public transport, exercise particular caution in crowded places, such as railway stations, airports, and crowded trains and buses. When travelling by rail, avoid empty compartments and try not to sleep during the journey. Keep valuable items, money and documents with you. We should also be cautious when dealing with strangers, especially and never accept refreshments from them.
Remember that leaving luggage unattended risks not only the loss of our property but may also trigger an alarm by the services responsible for security.
How can you secure your flat?
Before leaving, let us also think about properly securing our flat or house. Check that all doors and windows, including basement and roof windows, are closed. Remember to secure the garage and utility rooms and to turn off the water and gas valves. Consider whether cash and jewellery would be safer during our trip in a bank account or safe-deposit box than at home.
Ask a trusted person to look after the flat during our absence, and leave them a telephone number at which they can contact us at any time. During a longer absence, it is worth ensuring that a large amount of correspondence does not accumulate in our mailbox, as this signals to a potential burglar that the flat or house is empty. Time switches are a good solution: they turn lights on in the flat at different times of day, creating the impression that residents are present.
How can you enjoy a safe holiday abroad?
When planning a trip abroad, let us learn as much as possible about the country we are visiting, including its laws and local customs. Check which documents we will need to cross individual borders and where Polish diplomatic and consular missions are located. Useful information can be found on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ “Polak za granicą” website: www.polakzagranica.msz.gov.pl.
It is also worth using the free iPolak app, which includes current travel warnings issued by the MFA. Registering a foreign trip through the free “Odyseusz” service, www.odyseusz.msz.gov.pl, will make it easier for consular services to provide assistance in the given country if necessary.
Additional convenience when travelling may come from travel insurance covering the costs of medical transport, as well as the European Health Insurance Card.
If we become victims of a crime while abroad, we should first notify the local police and then contact the nearest Polish diplomatic or consular mission. If we are detained or arrested, we also have the right to request contact with a consul.
How can you safely relax in the mountains and by the water?
When spending time in the mountains or by the water, use only designated trails and supervised bathing areas and designated swimming sites, and adapt the type of activity to your skills and psychophysical abilities.
Before heading into the mountains, check the current conditions and weather forecast. Ensure you have suitable clothing, footwear and equipment, such as provisions and drinks, a map and compass, a flashlight, a first-aid kit and a mobile phone with a charged battery and emergency numbers saved.
When entering the water, pay attention to signs and information boards. Follow the rules of the bathing area and the lifeguard’s comments and instructions. Avoid swimming after consuming alcohol, following strenuous physical exertion or immediately after a meal, and also exercise caution after prolonged exposure to the sun. Use only watercraft that are in good working order and properly equipped, for example with life jackets. Pay particular attention to children playing on the shore.
Before planning a holiday by the water, it is worth reading the advice on the website of the “Kręci mnie bezpieczeństwo… nad wodą” campaign: www.policja.pl/bezpieczenstwo-nad-woda, which is held under the patronage of the Minister of the Interior and Administration.
How can you ensure the safety of children and young people?
The carefree nature of the holiday season contributes to various risks to which children and young people are exposed. Let us remember that holidays do not relieve parents and guardians of responsibility for their children’s safety. Therefore, during this period, they should provide particular care and attention, participating as much as possible in how their children spend their free time. It is worth talking to children about safe behaviour during holidays, warning them about the risks associated with contact with strangers, failure to observe road-traffic rules, for example when cycling, and reaching for various intoxicants. Let us take an interest in who our children spend time with outside the home.
Useful information about the dangers associated with psychoactive substances can be found on the following websites: www.ore.edu.pl, www.kbpn.gov.pl; www.dopalaczeinfo.pl and www.narkomania.org.pl. The National Anti-Drug Helpline is also available at 801 199 990, as is the Ombudsman for Children’s Helpline at 800 12 12 12.
Monitor our children’s online activity on an ongoing basis. Teach children the basic rules of safety in cyberspace and warn them about the risks associated with making new acquaintances online. Warn children not to share their personal information online, especially their address and telephone number.
If we encounter illegal material on the internet, we should report it to the Police or to the contact point for combating illegal online content—the Hotline—www.dyzurnet.pl, which cooperates with the Police, telecommunications operators and online services to have harmful content removed from the internet. Advice related to children’s and young people’s online activity and the resulting problems is also available at the free telephone number 0 800 100 100.
How can you ensure safety during agricultural fieldwork?
Every summer, accidents occur during agricultural fieldwork in which children and young people become victims. Therefore, parents should not allow children to perform dangerous tasks, especially those involving agricultural machinery.
Let us ensure that children play at a safe distance from dangerous equipment and tools. Remember that particular caution is necessary even when observing parents at work or being near machinery and farm animals.
What should you know?
For the ninth time, as part of the joint “Przed wakacjami – co warto wiedzieć?” campaign, approximately 50 institutions have prepared useful advice for people planning a holiday. This year, it includes information on how to save time before departure by completing formalities online, how to pay by card abroad and what to do in the event of problems with a rented car. Look for useful information on almost every subject—from safety to health and environmental matters—on the project participants’ websites. They can be found on the website of Komendy Głównej Policji.