However, the point of the messages is very serious.
Croatian Mountain Rescue Service (HGSS) is now using social media to kindly ask tourists to stop shooting dangerous and senseless selfies or rather to try not to kill themselves. HGSS has once again showed a great sense of humour on its Twitter profile where it regularly asks visitors, as well as local citizens, to try to be a bit more careful so that the rescue workers do not have to intervene that often. Two days ago, the Service tweeted the following: “Dear tourists, we respect you. It is time for you to start respecting yourself. So, stop making dumb and dangerous selfies. Thank you #HGSS”, reports telegram.hr on July 8, 2016.
With this message HGSS is referring to the increasing number of cases where people, mostly tourists, get hurt as they try to take photos near the cliffs or at some other very dangerous locations. For instance, last week a 20-year-old Canadian guy tried to make a selfie at Plitvička Jezera (Plitvice Lakes National Park), and while doing so he fell from the viewpoint that is about 70 meters high. He survived the fall because he got stuck on a branch, but he did suffer severe injuries. Last year, one woman from Slovakia lost her life at Plitvice. She was also making a selfie.
Although modern technology sometimes makes their work more difficult and sad, it also allows HGSS to regularly warn everyone to take care of themselves. And hence the following recent tweets:
“’Czechs in flip-flops’ are a myth. Flip-flops are worn by citizens of other EU countries and beyond. We don’t really care what they wear as long as they’re safe #HGSS # 112:”
„Do not worry. We are not on a break. Six rescue actions during the weekend. People, please start being more careful.”
Croatian Mountain Rescue Service is a national, voluntary, professional, and humanitarian organization. It was founded in 1950 as an internal service of the Croatian Mountaineering Association. Today, HGSS has grown into an organization with a public profile that cares about the safety of citizens 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
