If a child is lost

Situations where children go out to play without parents and then get lost are rare, but they do occur. The latest such case was recorded in the Pukhavichy District, when two girls born in 2020 and 2022 got lost in a forest area. More than 600 people participated in the search. The children were found only at 3:18 AM, 2.5 km from the village. Both girls, after being examined by emergency medical personnel, were hospitalized in a healthcare institution with the diagnosis of "general hypothermia."
In all matters concerning children, parents need to work proactively and take care of their children's safety in advance.

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PARENTS:
- do not let preschoolers and younger schoolchildren play without adult supervision;
- accompany them yourself or enlist the help of other adults;
- do not allow children to return home alone, even if they have done so before;
- reconsider your attitude towards children's independent returns home – it is a matter of luck, which should not be relied upon;
- if you suspect that children are lost, immediately call emergency services;

IF YOU LIVE NEAR A FOREST:
- explain to children that the forest is not a place for games and they cannot go there without you;
- inform them about the dangers that may await them in the forest.
- teach them what to do if a child gets lost:
1) if they have a mobile phone – call parents or rescuers at numbers 101 or 112;
2) stay in one place and call for help loudly;
3) do not be afraid to respond to their name if called by strangers;
4) do not approach water bodies and swamps;
5) do not eat unfamiliar berries and mushrooms;
6) if encountering a wild animal, do not move or attack it; allow the animal to leave peacefully.

PROTECT YOUR CHILDREN, TAKE CARE OF THEIR SAFETY!