June 26th, 2026 (The Berlin Spectator) – With temperatures expected to exceed 100 degrees Fahrenheit in the Berlin-Brandenburg region this weekend, water safety experts are urging swimmers to take extra precautions before heading to lakes and rivers.
Robert Büschel, deputy press spokesperson for the DLRG (German Life Saving Association) in Brandenburg, says the risk is real — and not always visible. “You can’t always tell if someone has a cardiovascular condition or other pre-existing illness,” he warned in an interview with RBB. His message ahead of what could be a very crowded weekend at public bathing spots: Don’t underestimate the water.
Büschel’s most urgent advice is directed at parents. “With smaller children, you have to be close enough to grab them if something goes wrong,” he said. Anyone sitting far back on the beach watching their child from a distance won’t make it in time. Non-swimmers and young children require arm’s-reach supervision at all times.
Slowly and Carefully
He also cautioned that drowning rarely looks the way people expect. “The moment someone loses consciousness, they have no way of drawing attention to themselves. They simply go under.” There is no waving, no screaming — which is why keeping eyes on swimmers at all times is critical.
One of the most dangerous reflexes in extreme heat is diving straight into cool water. Büschel says anyone who has been lying in scorching sun should enter the water slowly and carefully. People with heart or circulatory conditions face particular risk, but at 100-plus degrees, everyone should be cautious.
The classic warnings remain in effect: No swimming on a full stomach, no alcohol, and no overestimating your abilities. “The water doesn’t get any better just because you swim to the middle of the lake,” Büschel noted. The further from shore, the less likely anyone can reach you in time. Statistics back up one familiar pattern: most drowning victims are men.
Stick to Supervised Spots
With many unguarded bathing areas across Brandenburg, Büschel strongly recommends choosing supervised locations wherever possible. “More eyes watching always helps,” he said. And if you spot someone in trouble, alert lifeguards immediately — or call emergency services. Whatever you do, don’t jump in blindly: There are repeated cases of would-be rescuers, including parents, drowning themselves in the attempt.
In the past few days, at least two people drowned in lakes. On Monday, a man fell from a standup paddle board on Wandlitzsee, a lake in Brandenburg province. His body was found hours later. On Thursday, a 17-year-old student drowned in the Krumme Lanke lake in Berlin’s Zehlendorf borough. He was revived and taken to a hospital, where he died shortly after.
