Usually, warnings in red are highly effective because not only are they hard to ignore, they also ramp up the fear factor. But the number of drowning cases in Sharjah this year clearly indicates that people are not deterred by the red flags and signboards on the beach that alert them to the risky conditions at sea.
Since January, there have been 24 accidents at the Sharjah beaches and six people have died due to drowning despite being warned. This leads us to wonder if more intensive methods, such as having patrol officers on the beach, need to be devised. Human intervention perhaps is a greater deterrent when it comes to preventing foolhardy swimmers from risking their lives.
This, combined with the existing security measures, such as a rescue team and an ambulance patrol on call, could deliver more effective results. Having said that, it is also the primary duty of people to respect and heed warnings by the authorities.
After all, these warnings are issued in the interest of public welfare and safety and in not heeding them, we are not only endangering our lives, we are also needlessly complicating the job of the authorities.
